Cascading Melody
by Dusk and Dawn
Summary: It wasn't right, something obviously wasn't keeping to the norm. There was awareness and there was life. Second chances, backward glances and all the threads unwind. :An Organization XIII fic: Six years have passed and it seems peace was only temporary.
1. Chapter 1

**_(Disclaimer/Author's Note): We do not own any Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy, or Disney characters or places. Or any other media object that may be found within the text such as popular books or games. This will be the standard disclaimer for all chapters. Thank you. On another note, names that are not familiar are more than likely our original characters. At first, the main female non-canon character is a bit annoying, this is on purpose. Besides, it's one against twelve, she will not be the center of attention. Another thing we should mention... though this story deals a lot with Organization XIII it is not limited to their point of view. The story line is vast and one needs to be prepared to visit many different worlds and to deal with multiple story lines and characters._**

**Chapter 1 **

**"I range the fields with pensive tread**

**and pace the hollowed rooms**

**and feel (companion of the dead)**

**I am living in the tombs."**

**--**Abraham Lincoln, _Memory_

Deep within the castle music reached out dimly, and like all noise that has covered a great distance the volume had died away and lingered only as a reflection of itself. Even so, the soft vibrations that waved through the air were still strong enough to touch upon the energy that lay dormant within the fortressed walls. That tickle of life was touched with more than just sound...

There was awareness. That was somehow not right, although he could not recall why. It seemed like the prospect of having sentient thought rooted again in his essence was off, out of place, for whatever reason. He sat silent for a long while and before long he was aware of himself. As if only in just that one instant alone he recalled that he was a person. "This is odd." Speech came with ease and with every second more of himself worked itself out in his mind.

"What is?" A familiar voice answered his unplanned statement. This second proof of existence seemed less shaky of a foundation: it meant someone else was there. "What is your opinion of 'odd' anyway?" The voice continued. It managed to sound less disoriented than he felt.

"Am I not… _gone_?" He asked the voice, Luxord's, he had come to realize.

"I do not think death—if that is what you mean by gone—is entirely ruled out of the possibilities here. Yet, by all accounts this form of continued communication should not be happening if that were the case. Hypothetically." A different voice spoke up. "And by all means, Xemnas, do open your eyes."

The man obeyed and his dark amber eyes found him in a room almost as black as what his eyelids had been. This was not a problem for those acquainted to Darkness and so Xemnas was able to pick out the eleven other figures in the room with ease. The man standing nearest to him, the last to have spoken, he soon recognized as Vexen. "What's going on?"

"We've not quite figured that out." Zexion voiced from nearby. Xemnas's mind was reeling, both Vexen and Zexion had died before him. So had Luxord for that mater. What was there to figure out then? They must be in Purgatory, the man decided on his own.

"God gave us another chance!" Demyx's lighthearted voice interjected after Zexion. A slightly awkward silence followed the statement. Young number IX's opinions were no secret within the Organization but that didn't mean it was ever the default belief of everyone else.

"Perhaps we should start first with how exactly it has happened. Our existence has always been a distinctly odd one that defies usual reason, but let us see if we can explain it scientifically." Lexaeus said softly to their young comrade.

Xemnas sat up, now officially in control of his thoughts again. He decided to expand upon the subject at hand first, "Science by definition is the removal of the supernatural as explanation of occurrences in the worlds," he reminded, "and myself through six are just that, scientists. We'll figure something out."

There was a soft snicker from across the room and though he did not voice this opinion, Luxord had found himself thinking, 'You'd think with everything that's happened in the past he would know better than to talk like that. There is nothing scientific that I can see about any aspect of our situation.'

"Why are we still just sitting here?" Xaldin soon inquired after a few minutes had passed and no one else had decided to suggest something productive.

"Does anyone else hear music?" Axel asked, his mind having been lost in his own thoughts from the beginning of the conversation. All heads turned to the general direction of the question and they saw as Axel shrugged under their scrutiny, "Just throwin' that out there." He could hear it outside wherever they were and he thought it was weird. Not that coming back from the dead wasn't weird, though, the red-head just thought a little differently than his comrades and piano music wasn't fitting into this scene for him.

Xemnas pulled himself to his feet in the darkness. "All questions, I suppose, can wait a little longer. Number three has a point, let's at least get out of this room. Any ideas of where we might be?"

"This place smells of us and time...and fire." Zexion spoke aloud cryptically with a pondering expression gracing his features—hardly discernible with the distinct lack of light.

"Yes, I'd say it would smell like us what with everyone all conveniently sitting here." Xigbar's husky voice floated from a back corner where he'd been sitting. He gave an empty laugh as his younger friend gave a loud sigh to his sarcasm.

There was a rustle of movement then Larxene was up and walking towards one of the darker rectangles that stood on either side of the room they had woken to. "I think I found the door," she announced, the comment filled with exasperation.

As the rest of them stood and reacquainted themselves with their joints and muscles before filed out after the female, Saix hung back and was now standing beside the still slightly off-balanced Xemnas. "I still am missing my heart. We were returned but not restored it seems." The diviner waited patiently for the other man's response. It was a rather disappointing turn of events, to get their lives back only to find it was the incomplete version they'd fought so hard to remedy.

"At the moment we have other things to worry about." Xemnas had realized this somber fact too but it would do them no good to dwell on it. They'd lived this long without their hearts, what was a little longer?

"I _hear_ music!" Axel confirmed from somewhere outside of the door and there was a general mumble of agreement from the rest.

"More riddles than I care to contemplate." Xemnas whispered as he at last walked out of the room, giving no more mind to Saix's looming presence as he entered the hall.

------**Earlier**-------

'Well isn't this just perfect.' One girl let herself think sardonically as she walked through the unfamiliar territory. 'Damn them all! I shouldn't even give a shit. I'm alive and that's the only thing that's worth something now. Perhaps what kills me the most is that I can't make myself not care! Not, per se, what actually happened, but the fact that I can't just say, screw you! And move on… ' Absently these thoughts passed by, but no real weight was placed upon this inner monologue because the more sensible part of this girl's brain was currently in use of scouting out some form of life.

Empty rooms, dust covered objects, animal tracts through the dirt on the floor were all she had found in this odd bastion she'd stumbled upon. Not anything she thought she could use was to be found. But the walls themselves offered her some peace of mind—no more rain, no more fighting around every corner with this world's unnerving indigenous wildlife.

The place was an abandoned labyrinth she soon discovered, and after finally giving up on endlessly circling the dark chambers, she settled down in one of the more spacious rooms. It was like all the others in the fact that it was dim beyond all comprehension. But then, one usually wanted it to be dark when it came to sleeping. Necessity drove her to this decision to slumber not common sense as she was going on day two without it. She'd seen none of the foul creatures that had plagued her before entering this unlooked for sanctum so she felt moderately secure in her choice to nap.

Using the dark blue fabric of her shirt sleeve as a haphazard duster she cleared a spot for her head so that she wouldn't spend the whole time filling her lungs with unnecessary dirt. It was almost unavoidable in this place though, but the little effort seemed worth it. It helped to make her feel like she still had _some_ control of her situation.

When next she woke up it still looked the same, as if no time had passed. If she wasn't already crazy then the prospect of no moving time would surely drive her to it. Climbing to her feet stiffly, the result of sleeping on the cold, metallic floor, she resumed her inspection of her adopted shelter.

For a brief moment the girl began to wonder if this place had been pre-selected for her exile. The want of food and abundance of hostile beings seemed to suggest so. No easy punishment would have been wanted after all. "I'm so hungry." She said out loud, listening as her voice reverberated off the metallic walls.

Audibly talking to herself was not something she often did but for lack of companions she let herself fill the silence. "I need to piss too." She was becoming aware that she was using a lot more crude language lately. Pent up rage she soon labeled it. But back to the matter at hand, "Holy shit! If this place has been abandoned for so long then the chances of working plumbing are gone!"

All the while as she talked to herself her legs ran on autopilot and looking around from one dingy hallway to another identical one she began to notice the absence of bugs and spider webs and how the tracks that she could make out in the dust, aside from her own, were not of any animal's trail she could recognize, bipedal or not. "This place really is utterly dead." She opened a random door and looked inside, "I half expect to see corpses in these rooms."

The interior of this particular room was not as gruesome as that. In fact, it was slightly pleasant—with a spacious layout, a couch, and a piano in one corner. From the scarce objects that she'd been able to identify thus far, a piano did not seem to coincide with the picture she had painted of the former masters of this fortress. From what she could gather, this item was a little out of place.

With nothing better to do she walked over to the forgotten instrument and looked at it closer—her eyes were used to the darkness by now. "I bet it is completely out of tune," she said speculatively. "However, it should be a worthy distraction." And with that she pressed down on three of the keys at once, simultaneously dragging away the dust as she removed her fingers.

With her own family having owned one of these relics, she could listen to the notes with a trained ear and knew that the instrument was not out of tune. She pressed a few more to make certain before sitting herself down for some actual playing. Her bladder problems—along with other more predominate ones—seemed to go away for the moment. It felt good to have something of familiarity in her possession and without anything else to be doing she needed something to be busy with.

After two songs and trying to stop her brain from thinking she finally consented a pause in her playing, "But damn if I'm not lonely." She whispered wistfully. Only now was she really allowing herself to realize this. She was utterly alone and her notes grew more solemn because of it. If ever there was a worse way to slowly waste away she couldn't fathom it.

She shook her head and with new resolve she set her finger to the keys. Feeling sorry for her self wouldn't solve a thing. "That would be very well playing into their plans! I'll die with dignity damn it! Starve if I must but I won't do it broken."

_"Haunting words call through the night  
Waiting to devour me  
Lost in this chaos, this darkness where I have fallen  
Only echoes answer my calls, my voice just a repeat  
I suffer alone in this hell yet fight against my defeat  
Questions hum and scream through my mind as I slowly fear to fade  
Yet my heart rebels against this fate, what a mind of hate has been made…"_

She hadn't expected to find herself singing, making up the words as she went, but it made her feel better. It was a good thing that she had no audience, though, because then perhaps her self proclaimed strength would have been an easy pretense to see through. But, alone she was allowed to lie for her sanity's sake all she wanted. She continued to play away at the keys and she could hear as they echoed off the walls.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

The music had stopped.

Currently, they were all walking down the neglected hallways in silence, Xemnas had given the specific orders not to separate just yet. Apparently, some rooms- even entire hallways- could be missing and inopportune teleporting could have some pricy consequences for those less inclined in the arts of bending gravity.

"So how did all this damage happen?" Larxene was the first to ask. It didn't take too much imagination but it would kill the silence and the growing restlessness settling over her.

"My final showdown with the Keyblade Masters wasn't a quite or confined occasion. Also, one must take into account the detonation of all those explosives that Xigbar had felt the need to install." Xemnas replied without flourish. It was the first time he had spoken since they'd set out towards the upper corridors, having been counting up his figures and deciding on a reasonable course of action.

The silver-haired leader did not particularly like his odds; there were known traitors in his ranks, provisions would have gone sour by now, and there was some one -or possibly a multitude- now inhabiting their old base. 'The last of these will be the easiest to deal with.' He managed to reassure himself as he and the group reached the main floor of the center-most part of the castle.

There were no signs of fire up here, which was a little uplifting. The building from this point out seemed pretty well intact. "I do believe it's safe to split up now; however, do avoid opening portals to get to your destinations." Xemnas said, knowing the eagerness some might have to go their own way and investigate the condition of their private things.

"After being dead you think we'd be ungrateful for a good walk? Please." Luxord said with a wave of his hand at the older man's warning. He certainly didn't want to take the lazy way out.

"If any of you stumble upon our guest please detain them and alert me, I shall be in my office." Xemnas said in a crisp, business-like manner. He was one of the most eager to be off and on his own way.

"You would not wish to see to this matter personally?" Lexaeus questioned, curious as to his superior's disinterest. The tall man landed his cobalt gaze onto their departing leader, causing him to halt.

"Not particularly." He explained tiredly, "It is a wonder that someone else would be here- of all places, but I doubt that anyone who would voluntarily stay in a place as run down as this would be good company. At any rate, I do not see what I could gain from such an encounter. I have more pressing matters to think on."

"Such as what? We could possibly gain information from whoever is here, such as how long we've been gone for example?" Vexen interjected from the back of the group.

"Precisely, which is why I asked the person or persons be detained. However, I will not waste my time in seeking them out." Xemnas retorted truthfully. It wasn't that he didn't care that their desolate base had been infiltrated in their absence, it was just that he didn't care to waste time on something that would and could be done without his assistance.

"Alright. Whatever." Vexen said swiftly. He refused to dwell on it, but if Xemnas was allowed to show that he didn't care, then so was he. His thoughts had been elsewhere too. "Well then, I'm going to go see what can be scavenged from the labs." To him that was far more important than miscreant refugees hanging about their castle.

"The labs were on the lower levels." Larxene reminded him mockingly as he was turning to leave, "I'd say they're gone." She couldn't help but to pick at the man, he took everything personally, and being previously dead didn't rob her completely of her sense of humor.

"Hence the word _scavenge_." Vexen sighed. The older blonde then turned and walked back from the way they'd just come. If the thought would have occurred to him sooner he wouldn't have made the trip this far with the rest of them.

Xemnas thought about stopping him, after all hadn't he been stressing the stupidity of romping around in the destroyed parts of the castle? But he restrained himself realizing that Vexen, unlike a few others within the organization, held quite a bit of common sense.

"I'll go with him." Zexion suddenly resolved and chased after number IV's retreating figure. The two of them were soon out of sight and the others wasted no more time before continuing on.

Xemnas was gone soon after, turning down one of the many branching hallways and heading towards his private quarters and not long after him, Marluxia went his own way as well. No one much noticed when IX left, for it wasn't as if he'd been involved in any of the conversations. The rosy-haired assassin was interested in seeing how far deteriorated his gardens were since he'd been gone and how much effort it would take to restore them- his personal room was the least of his concerns, nothing a good duster couldn't fix, he assumed.

"I can't believe hardly anyone is curious about seeing who's here." Demyx commented, even though only four people had veered off to do their own things. "Do you wonder if maybe it's a Nobody?" In the past that's always how it had been; you didn't come here unless you had no alternative.

"Chances are good," Xaldin remarked blandly, relying on the same logic of the younger man. He, like Xemnas, had his mind on other things however. The fact that they were spontaneously back bothered him a bit. Though he had never been one for puzzles he couldn't help himself but to mull over this one. A person, or in their case a Nobody, didn't just decide to stop being dead. Thought after thought flashed through the lancer's mind but they swiftly burnt out before getting anywhere productive.

"Where was it Zexion kept his piano, Luxord?" Lexaeus questioned suddenly as the group filed around yet another corner. There was still no real light with which to tell one place from another and although he had once known this place well enough to navigate it blindfolded, Lexaeus now felt the need to refresh his memory. Their habit of allowing most of the passageways to look the same didn't help matters either.

"Last room in the next hallway." The blonde man replied the question asked of him with ease, his mind as sharp as ever. Luxord appeared to be one of the few members taking their new found life completely in stride, as if this sort of thing happened everyday. Truth be told, it wasn't that he didn't want to know the "how" and "why for" but that he had sense enough to fully appreciate a good thing when it happened. Years of gambling had taught him a lot of conventional wisdom, and of that a lesson was, never fuss over the hand your dealt, especially if it's a good one.

With a destination now given to him Demyx ran on ahead, impatience getting the best of him. As the boy turned the corner sharply there came an echoing crash and then then two simultaneous yelps of pain. It appeared he had found their guest. Xigbar and Saix were rounding the corner in the next instant. The others hardly had time to blink as the elves lived up to their reputation for speed and reflexes. 

* * *

Meanwhile, Zexion sneezed as he and Vexen hefted the door to the first of the lower laboratories open. The room itself was fine, however, stench of chemicals gone sour was nearly unbearable. "I do not think this effort will come to much profit." The blue-haired man informed his companion flatly- trying, for the most part, to breath through his mouth.

"I didn't think it would." Vexen admitted as he looked around the forgotten lab. Scattered papers and dust covered tables, test tubes, and a computer monitor could be discerned through the darkness.

Zexion immediately went over to the light switch to see if, perchance, they still had any power. His efforts yielded no response so he too took his turn at simply sifting through the motley agglomeration. "One has to wonder what we are to do now." The man remarked as he took the time to pick up some dirt ridden piece of paper off the floor; it was covered in some nonsensical equation.

"It might be prudent to just have Demyx flood these lower levels and start all over. I don't believe even the notes are worth saving." Vexen answered. He dug the toe of his black boot into the side of one of the tables in irritation. All that work! For nothing.

"That is an idea but not exactly what I meant by the question. What do you suppose we are going to do concerning the retrieval of our hearts?" Zexion clarified.

Vexen shrugged and shorter man watched him as he absently brought his face closer to a tube of congealing bluish-black goop. "How long do you think we've been gone?" The taller questioned after soon having lost interest in the unnamed substance. He was now running a finger over the edge of the table instead. As he waited for Zexion's response he brought his hand close to his face in an attempt to determine how thick the layer of dust was.

"There's no telling." Came the answer at last. Zexion sneezed again and moved to brush his indigo bangs out of his eyes. "It's unfortunate that we now have to start all over in our efforts to reclaim what's ours."

The blonde sighed, he had just been thinking the same thing but now he was examining the situation from a different angle, "I don't see much of a problem considering that there wasn't much of a real progress made to begin with. Look at it this way, at lest we were not set back further than our original starting point was when we first became like this." Vexen said as he made to leave.

The older man stopped and turned around back to Zexion, forcing his eyes to focus on the details of his companion's features. "You know," He said at length, "you don't look any different now than what you did on the day I died."

"And the same is true for you, but then, that's not surprising." Vexen nodded with a shrug of his shoulders. None of them had aged before, why should they have started now? The two reentered the hall and began walking back to where they had left the main group.

"Shall we join the rest of them again?" Zexion asked as minutes later found them right in the spot that they had stopped at when Vexen had decided to backtrack. Before the blonde had time to answer his friend's question, there came to them the echoes of a girl's scream of protest.

After the noise faded Vexen turned and with a small, hopeful smile offered, "Or we could go check out the condition of the library instead."

---

"Could you let me go? I can't out run you. That's been proven already." The girl protested. Xigbar applied more pressure to his grip just for spite and the woman let out a muffled whine in response.

"Sorry kid." The rugged looking gunner replied cheerfully. Everyone knew that Xigbar wouldn't really hurt her without proper motivation. Everyone but her apparently because after that she became completely docile in his arms, head lowered and navy locks falling into her eyes.

The resurrected organization- minus Marluxia, Vexen and Zexion- were now gathered in Xemnas' scarcely furnished office and the man in question sat at his desk digging through a drawer. The light from a lamp resting atop his desk cast an eerie yellow/orange light across his bored face. Finding what he was looking for the man finally acknowledged their presence. He had in fact been staling this recognition for the purpose of letting this girl see just how unimportant he viewed her, a tactic to bring about submission in the long run. "Well, let's start with the basics shall we? Where do you hail from?"

The girl didn't answer at first and after it became clear that her insubordination wasn't bothering them she answered, "A small town by the name of Ssendam."

"Not familiar with it. What's your name?" Xemnas then questioned.

"Lyra."

"Do you know who we are?"

"No."

Xemnas was about to reply but was interrupted by the squeak of the door as two people entered. Joining the bevy that was already packed into the cramped room came Vexen and Zexion who gave curt nods upon entrance. "Any progress?" Number IV asked, seeming to know already what was going on.

"None." Xaldin offered. The lancer was standing propped against the wall within the very edge of the lamp light. His violet eyes were closed and his arms crossed in front of him. The two new comers observed that only a few others present showed any more enthusiasm to match Xaldin's. It was evident that they were either trying to intimidate this newest subject by giving her the cold shoulder or they really were not interested. The latter being Vexen's own sentiments.

"Please kill me." The girl whispered, her voice sounding choked with emotion. The group all turned their attention back to her. "Just kill me now and get it over with." She would rather it come swiftly than for them to drag it out.

Vexen snorted to himself. 'This girl is awfully dramatic. Nothing has even been done to her yet!'

"Well this sure isn't the spunky little chit I had to chase through three corridors to catch." Xigbar commented while giving his captive a little jerk in a playful manner. He looked at her somewhat skeptically with his one good eye and wondered what happened to her fight. He hadn't hurt her, that much he knew.

"We'd be happy to grant your request Ms. Lyra." Xemnas said in an overly friendly tone. "Take her out of my sight." He wasn't serious, he merely wished to call her bluff if there was one. Nothing like the actual prospect of death to sober a person up to reality. Sadly, he knew this because it had often worked so well in the past.

Demyx apparently wasn't aware of their superior's intention and in a huff said, "Don't do that!" Yes, he knew who it was he had chosen to fall in with but senseless murder had always been avoided in the past.

At his interjection the girl lifted her head abruptly, a look of surprise was etched across her face. Obviously she hadn't been joking because it seemed that she really wasn't expecting any act of sympathy. She fumbled a bit with her footing as Xigbar stopped short with her in tow but she was able to keep her eye's locked with that of the young dirty-blonde haired man who'd spoken up for her.

"Kill who?" Marluxia asked as he appeared at the doorway, he had pulled himself away from his interests long enough to find out what all the commotion was for. Without preamble his eyes found their way to the girl that II had hold of. "Ah." He said with a blink of mischievousness. "Could I have her instead?"

Those who knew him best could see that he was simply joking, but Xemnas noticed that more than a few noses were scrunched at the implications of the man's words. "I don't suppose there is a good reason to say no…" Xemnas said at long last, playing along and eyeing the girl out of his periphery to see how she would react.

"I asked to be killed specifically to avoid torture." Lyra spoke in a monotone, her body tensing up.

"One should always avoid wishing for death. It really isn't all it's cracked up to be at any rate, love." Luxord commented from his position beside Xaldin at the far end of the room.

The girl didn't answer but instead finally cracked. Loud sobs escaped her throat and it seemed that the only thing keeping her from sinking to her knees was Xigbar's supporting grip.

Xemnas sighed, massaging his fingers against his temples. "Someone go find a decent holding place for her… assuming that the lower containment areas are gone." He looked at Xigbar accusingly at that last part and the elf in question shrugged.

Looking a little out of wits, Demyx volunteered. Axel, having seen enough to satisfy himself followed the musician out. What a strange way to start off a second chance, IX thought as he rubbed at his forehead.

"Well this could be interesting." The red-head said once he and his friend were some ten steps away from the superior's office. The had found the entire performance entertaining to some extent. It was something different, that was for sure.

Demyx wasn't sure what to think of the situation and so simply shrugged in answer. "Want to check out Roxas's old room?" He asked instead, taking the conversation elsewhere. "That could work."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Lyra was reluctant to wake but the tingle in her right arm was fairly persistent. Hardly alert enough for motor skills she rolled over and off the appendage to allow the blood to return to it. In doing so her face was tilted to a stark white light that shown down from the ceiling and she was ripped even further from sleep. The brightness invaded her thinly curtained eyes and it swiftly gave her a headache because she had become so accustom to the darkness.

With a groan she sat up slowly, her still numb arm laying limply at her side. She blinked a few times and had to wipe away the crud that had built up earlier due to her tears. "Bleh…" She moaned as she stretched out her stiff muscles. From the way she had been laying it looked as though she'd simply been thrown onto the bed and left the way she landed.

After a moment's time to get reacquainted with reality Lyra began to study her new surroundings. She wasn't dead. 'A coffin would have slept better.' The room she now sat in was clearly one that was meant to be lived in, unlike all the others she had looked into. The bed she sat on, the desk beside it and the open closet were proof enough. Her eyes eventually came to rest on the door and as soon as she noticed the lock above the handle she was up and sliding it into place. 'Who puts a deadbolt on a bedroom door? Don't care, it's use enough for me.'

Once she felt secure that there would be no intrusions she slid down onto the floor and rested her back against the door, letting her mind replay the events and her thoughts from earlier. At first she had been excited when she heard the sounds of other people's voices but as soon as she was pushed to the ground that initial impression had left. Given, her run in with that first boy may have been an accident but the rough handling from that other man wasn't. Nor were the harsh words from that woman particularly pleasant. "I bet you're going to wish you were dead before this night is out." And the hell if she didn't say just that not fifteen minutes later!

Upon reflecting on her entire situation again a lump returned to her throat. With a deep breath she grasped onto her quailing resolve, "Well I'm not dead yet." She no longer wanted to be, the rashness that had consumed her earlier had ebbed away substantially.

"No. And I suppose you can count that as a good thing," a dry voice replied from the outside the room. It had a smooth drawl to it giving the impression that its speaker was clam and knew that he had the upper hand over his listener.

Lyra tensed and she tried to recall which face that voice belonged to. "U-umm…" She was at a loss for words. She turned around and looked at the plain white of the door as if trying to gather some hint from it.

For a while nothing else was said. Little did she know that the man on the other side of the door was mentally kicking himself for ever saying anything in the first place. Figuring he now had no other choice Xaldin spoke again, "So how was your sleep?" When the girl didn't respond he added, "You know, the least you could do would be to play along with my little attempt at conversation."

"Are you being nice to me?" She questioned hesitantly. The man hadn't said anything demeaning or threatening and though he sounded bored Lyra quickly began to feel a little less threatened.

"About as nice as anyone else will be I suppose. Keep in mind we don't have to be," the man replied, the warning laced into that scentence was there for her not to try anything foolish. "So how did you end up on this world anyway?" His tone had changed, returning back to sounding slightly bored.

Lyra hadn't been expecting anything so his question took her slightly by surprise. She answered anyway, still being standoffish, "I honestly couldn't tell you. I was blindfolded for the entire event." And that was the truth.

"What, does your world have some kind of hard core rite of passage ritual?" The attempt at humor was lost on his listener but he chuckled to himself regardless.

"No, I'm just exiled." These last words sounded less calm than what she had been formerly mantaining. Her composure was slowly cracking as she remembered the events leading up to her coming to this place.

"Ah... Then you already have something in common with some of us." The man said in a moderately cheerful tenor.

Lyra balked in confusion. She really didn't know how she was suppose to take this person. What kind of response was that? How should she go about replying? "Which one are you? I really didn't get a good look at any of you people earlier." Earlier. Her face blushed as she recalled her dramatic performance.

There was a pause as the man thought about the weight of his answers. Seeing no harm in just being honest and open he answered, "I have long black hair pulled back in braids, and stand at a good two inches taller than you, I would think that you saw me. My name is Xaldin."

Her mind flashed back to an image of a muscular man leaning against a wall on her far right, he was the only one to fit the description. That settled she then asked, "Are you allowed to answer any of my questions?"

"I suppose that's left up to my discretion." He replied. Being third in rank he knew full well it would come down to how much he would be willing to answer, not a matter of permission. He wondered at the kind of questions she would ask.

"What are you guys going to do to me?" It was a simple starting point and Xaldin understood her concern.

"Yet to be decided." And it hadn't, but he offered no clarification to the vagueness of his tone.

"Where did you all suddenly come from? I've been here for three days and not seen of a single other person."

"Can't answer that," Xaldin said simply. "Three days huh?" Lyra nodded, then suddenly remembering he couldn't see her, voiced affirmation. "I'm surprised you lasted that long. Well here comes Saix, my time here is up. He'll be your warden for the next two hours."

"Warden? So I'm basically being held a prisoner here?" The thought of it didn't surprise her though.

"Who's to say? Either way, you're the one who locked the door." Xaldin reminded her before walking off. The footsteps outside the room changed as heavy ones left and new ones got louder.

Lyra jumped up and unlocked the door, hoping to catch a look at the man before he left completely. She watched as the muscular figure left down one direction of the hallway, dark braids swooshing behind him, then she turned her head to see the man who was currently approaching her. She soon recognized him as the second person she'd laid eyes on of this world. 'He's really fast too,' she thought to herself, recalling the scene of when she had seen this blue haired man and that other one with the eye patch come speeding around the corner. Hesitantly she nodded greeting to him.

'She looks every bit a war refugee, the ratty little thing that she is,' Saix thought as he reexamined her. His assessment wasn't out of scorn but for lack of a better analogy. He noticed that she had tried to wipe the tears away with her arm and gray smudges lingered in the remaining dampness of her cheeks. Her clothes were tattered in places, some looking like claw marks: heartless.

"Do you have a bathroom?" The question had come out of nowhere and Saix blinked his golden eyes at her in bewilderment for a brief second. "I know you probably don't want to know this but I've been holding my bladder for way too long now." She said, clarifying with as much urgency as she could reasonably fit in her last four words. Lyra had earlier decided she was going to play it safe with these strangers and not attempt to push their nerves, but there were just some things a person had to be blunt about.

"You're right, I did not wish to know that. Come with me." The man said while turning around and trusting her to follow him. He knew that she was being sincere, he had a genuine talent for reading emotion even while he himself managed not to give anything away.

Not a word was spoken between them as Saix led her down the now well lit hallways until they reached their destination. The man stopped outside a door and jerked his head to it in indication for her to enter. She paused a moment, afraid of what it might look like. She pushed it open and slowly ambled in, need overriding any concerns for sanitation.

Ivory walls greeted her vision. However, her eyes caught not upon the monotonously color scheme but on the mirror on the farthest wall before her. The reflective glass was concealed partially by a large rectangle-shaped fissure in the center of the room that housed on the side closest to her and the entrance four privacy stalls that held a toilet each. She allowed her vision to sweep the entirety of the room swiftly, locating two double faucet sinks to her left and a garbage bin beside them. After her inspection she quickly entered one of the stalls. It would not be a wise decision to cause her "warden" any undue waiting.

Moments later the girl emerged with her head down and her face flushed. "It wouldn't flush." She informed him in embarrassment. "I didn't clog it!" She was quick to add, "The water wouldn't run." It was as she had feared from the start, no working plumbing. But she had thought that this Saix fellow wouldn't have led her here unless it was otherwise! So much for that trust.

The man simply shrugged. "The pipes should be functional again before too long, I'm sure your not the first person to go ahead and use the toilets. Xigbar is working on it now and should have everything running again before the hour is up."

"Who is Xigbar?" Lyra questioned, she assumed it would be a good idea to go ahead and work on getting names to faces. Now that they were leaving the bathroom issues behind them she wanted something else to talk about.

"He is the one who caught you earlier." Saix replied without preamble. He motioned for her to follow him again and the two begin to head back towards the room they had put her in.

'Ah. The one with silver and black hair, that jerk.' She shook her head at the thought. Well, she was no worse for wear because of him. "I'm going to have to go back to that room aren't I?" Lyra ventured after having let her mind catch up with where her feet were leading her.

"For the time being," he said, "I do believe that would be best. We put you there to begin with because of your emotional instability. So, there you should stay till further assessed."

The girl didn't say anything after that. 'In other words, in their eye's I'm crazy,' she realized. 'Great…' She nearly paused in her step as she re-thought that last statement. 'Great. It could be! Maybe that could work to my advantage. They would expect less of me…or they would euthanize me.' She soon dismissed the idea as the reality of it all sunk in. From what she had seen of their leader, she was already on thin ice, no need to further her descent. 'I at least need to act normal.' As they reached the holding room again Lyra turned to face the man. "I'm sorry."

Saix looked at her curiously. "I've already said that the toilets will be functional again soon," he replied while holding the door open for her, waiting for her to enter.

"No it's not that… I mean for the trouble I seem to have gotten myself into. And I didn't mean to break down in front of you all earlier… I've been through a lot."

"And others have gone through worse," Saix answered simply. The statement was meant as a middle ground for trying to cheer her up and simultaneously shut her up.

Lyra was taken aback by his words. She stopped in the doorway and locked her emerald eyes on his amber gold ones, suddenly affronted and feeling the need to defend herself, "You don't know what all has happened to me. I'm sure others have gone through worse but mine is pretty damn up there!" She said, momentarily forgetting who it was she was talking to and just how tight the limitations on the freedom of speech might be.

"I'll not argue with you then." The man shrugged. "On my world," he said while slightly changing the subject, "there was an illness we called A Syndrome of Two Faces, I do believe you are suffering from this. Mind your extreme changes in temperament."

Lyra's jaw fell slack a bit as it took a moment to catch the implication. All of a sudden she was feeling very vulnerable again. "I'm sorry. I'm not normally like this, just so you know. But damn! I think I have the right to be a little mad; I haven't had more than five hours of sleep since I've got here and I've not eaten in all that time either. On top of it, I have no clue who you people are!" She stomped back inside of the undecorated room and plopped down on the bed, sending a cloud of dust up as she did so. Her little fit was counterbalanced quickly as she gave a high pitched squeak of a sneeze once the dust reached her nose and her shoulders slumped instantly as if that sneeze had caused her to lose a battle with herself.

Saix propped himself against the doorframe and watched the scene play out. This girl was actually quite a fun thing to watch. He momentarily toyed with the notion that perhaps she didn't have a heart, the quirkiness of her emotions were similar to the phase they had all gone through shortly after loosing theirs. But, he knew this wasn't the case, the quirks were all her own and he could sense the sincerity radiating off of her like one would feel heat from a fire. Vaguely, he wondered why the superior wasn't taking more interest in her. But perhaps he would.

"I'm sorry!" She said again before starting to cry. "I am such a wreck. Is it too much to ask for a shower, food, and some…" She trailed off and wiped her eyes. "Here I am crying again." She mumbled to herself, but Saix heard it acutely and gave a short chuckle.

"You should go back to sleep. Food will be brought to you by the time you've woken up."

"I don't think it'd be smart to go to sleep right now. Not in my situation, in a place full of men I don't know! And it's no good that I said I wanted to die, someone might try and take me up on that! I didn't really mean it! Well at the time maybe but-"

"Will you kindly stop rambling? You can go to sleep for now and if you don't you're only hurting yourself not us." The man said in a reasonable tone of voice. Had she forgotten the fact that she'd been asleep not but a little while ago?

"I'm so confused." She whispered to herself in a last ditch effort before having to resign to introspection. She wanted to sleep but she wanted to sort out her thoughts more. So much had happened in the last few hours and she had hardly been given time to dwell on any of it.

"Allow me then to help you sort out these perplexities," the man said gruffly, growing slightly irritated. "Go to sleep!"

Lyra flinched and for fear of prompting another outburst lay down on the stiff, gray sheets of the borrowed bed she was on. 'And he thinks I have two faces.'


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Demyx looked out the gaping hole in the wall and into the eternally night sky. If he were to lean out of the open space and look down he would be able to see the broken remains of the Alter of Naught. He sat boredly in the dreary basement of the fortress as Xigbar fiddled with the exposed piping. "Can you go any faster?" The younger of the two finally asked after Xigbar swore to himself for the sixth time. The overturned crate Demyx was sitting on was starting to dig into him uncomfortably and the draft that kept blowing in was a little chillier than he would have liked, the sooner he could be on his way the better.

"Just stay put and stop whining. You've got to make sure I don't get sprayed with piss water," Xigbar told him as he continued to work on the plumbing. "Where is Xaldin when you need him? He's better at this stuff than I am."

"He's on guard duty or something," Demyx offered. "What do you think Xemnas is going to do with that girl?"

"Not a clue. He'll probably give her a proper interrogation before too long. There were just too many people there earlier and she didn't seem in the best state to begin with." Xigbar paused to evaluate his work. "I think that should have fixed it!" The man nodded to Demyx who let loose the water he had been holding and a low groan signaled their return to the pipes. It hadn't taken too terribly long to Jerry-Rig the plumbing and now they were free to head back up to the upper levels of the castle.

"Thank you!" A familiar voice yelled from somewhere above them. Demyx ran over to the missing wall and looked up to find Zexion leaning over the floor. Number VI had been partly listening to the conversation of the two as he braved the bathroom. "Now we can flush again, right?"

"Yep," Demyx affirmed then he pulled his head back into the building.

"And we can shower too," Xigbar added as he threw the random tools he had been using back into the box they kept them in. "Heaven knows I need one of those." He said as he kicked the lid closed and walked over to the ladder that Demyx had lowered-the stairs were temporarily destroyed. Though, instead of climbing up he simply lifted himself off the ground by bending gravity. Demyx, on the other hand, had to take it rung by rung.

As IX arrived onto the actual first story of the building he attempted to dust off his cloak and prepared to portal away. He was stopped by Vexen who was coming out of one of his old offices, "Could I borrow you for a while?" The scientist looked eager as he asked this of the musician. After having seen the condition of his former office he was even more set to go through with his cleaning plan.

"How long would that be?" Demyx asked with a sag in his shoulders, didn't anyone care that he had his own things he wanted to be doing? The thought of work so soon left a bad taste in his mouth, however, the young blonde was the type of person that he couldn't say no when asked politely to do something.

"An hour at best," the older man assured him as he stepped around a fallen chunk of ceiling so that he could stand beside Demyx. He waved his hand down the length of the hallway as he explained, "I need you to flood these lower two levels of the castle. Kind of sweep everything out the hole in back with a nice torrent of water."

Xigbar, who was still picking through the debris, poked into the conversation swiftly. "You'd better be careful doing that. If you flood into the bathrooms and mess up the plumbing that I just fixed, I will beat you." Vexen nodded his head dismissively in number II's general direction. He wasn't stupid, of course he would have reminded Demyx to manipulate his element to avoid the bathrooms.

"Did you even ask Xemnas if you could flood the place?" Xigbar prodded. The idea sounded a little far fetched to him to begin with. Leave it to Vexen, he mused with an inward chuckle.

"Nope," Zexion answered for Vexen while coming out of the bathroom and brushing the dirt out of his hair. "We don't think he'll mind." The shorter man looked at the destroyed hall again and was convinced that all Xemnas had to do was take one look at the place before he would agree with the academic's plan.

"I'd ask anyway," Xigbar warned. "You know how prissy he can get." Though he sort of saw the sense in Vexen's proposal, Xemnas was not the kind of person who liked for big projects to be undertaken without being told about it.

Demyx sighed and propped himself against the door that Zexion had come out of a few moments ago. Temporarily forgotten by his superiors, he sat back and watched them talk. Cleaning wasn't so bad but just standing around and talking about it was, because it left a person more time to dread doing it. 'I wonder what Axel is doing?' He wondered while he waited to be acknowledged again. 'Whatever it is, it can't be as boring as this.'

* * *

Xemnas looked at the clock on his desk -some stolen object from a foreign world-and tapped his fingers against the wooden surface of his work area. He really didn't want to be there at the moment. Rebellions were a lot easier to deal with when the rebels themselves were dead. "What exactly did you hope to accomplish?" He questioned once the silence had gone on for too long. It was a mundane starting point, he knew, however, he didn't feel like taking it back and asking something else.

At first neither Marluxia nor Larxene would meet his gaze. They had been called to his office and were sitting in front of his desk with what genuinely looked like shame. Finally, as the silence dragged out, Marluxia looked him dead in the eyes. That kind of direct contact was something that likely took a great deal of strength. Self assurance, when it came to the mauve-haired man, could be both a good and bad thing. After all, it was namely because of his self assurance that he sought to overthrow the Organization.

"Things were going nowhere. News from you or anyone else here," he pointed to the off-white carpet for emphasis, "more or less stopped coming to Castle Oblivion." His features were schooled to indifference as he spoke, "And it wasn't as if I were only power-hungry, I had planned to manipulate Sora by a direct means. Because no real progress had seemed to have been made since the moment I joined your forces up until that time shortly before being assigned Castle Oblivion. I decided taking matters into my own hands the best option."

"Needless to say, you thought wrong. Though, I must admit, not bad planning for shooting from the hip. A pity that your efforts went against me, because you're a fine tactician Marluxia. One of the reasons I let you aboard this Organization to begin with. Tell me," Xemnas folded his fingers and rested his chin on them as he leaned forward over his desk, "how can I trust you again, or why should I even try?" He truly wanted a good answer for this because tossing out two members of his group did not sound like a good decision. He could only imagine trying to work with only ten people again. On top of that, he was a man who believed in second chances, though that was not the image he wished others to perceive.

Without speaking a word the assassin stood up and summoned his weapon. Larxene flinched but Xemnas did not as Marluxia swiftly whirled the blade around and brought it up into his side. "As it has sometimes been done on my world, I have made strong the proof of my constancy by giving myself a voluntary wound and if I can accept this pain here in my side with patience then why not your words and further orders from here onwards?"

Marluxia originated from a world of stoic philosophers and strict codes of honor. Often his home influenced practices would creep into his currently life as a Nobody. The great Empire of Rome must have been an interesting place indeed if even half the population were to have acted as XI. The man waited for his superior's response.

Xemnas was rendered speechless for a moment as he stared at the man before him. "I will take this as concession enough, but you will be watched closely from here on. I cannot let your previous contempt for authority be proven correct by not playing the role of a leader." He had sometimes fooled himself into thinking he had the people who worked with him all figured out, but things like what he had just seen were enough to keep him guessing.

"Understood," Marluxia acknowledged while pulling out the blade from his flesh and placing his hand over the wound, purposefully not casting a cure spell, because he felt it would take away some of the meaning behind his action. He remained standing though, because no matter the stoic expression on his face it really hurt to move.

"Larxene, same question, why should I trust you again?" Xemnas asked while turning his orange-gold eyes on her slim figure. She was hunched over in the stiff back chair she sat in, not exactly meek but not proud either.

The girl finally broke the silence she had held throughout the entire confrontation, "I don't know. I don't think I have the balls enough to rip myself open to prove a point, like eleven here." She said moodily. "I don't suppose a simple apology would suffice?"

"Doubtful. 'Sorry' won't atone for your mercurial views on loyalties." The man replied tiredly. Did the woman always have an attitude or was it just his imagination?

"Well I do have respect for survival of the fittest. So sor-ry for following what sounded like a good idea of self preservation." Larxene snapped.

Xemnas put up a grin, "The reason behind your actions is well enough... I suppose. You will have the same restrictions as Marluxia. You are dismissed number twelve." Xemnas knew it seemed like he were letting them off too easily but there was no room to increase the shortness of hands. More or less he was having to just settle for the merest of apologies at this point. He watched her stand and nod to him before quickly bolting for the exit.

Once the girl had left and the door shut behind her, Xemnas turned his attention back to the bleeding assassin. "Marluxia, I can see you gritting your teeth. Go ahead and heal yourself. No need to continue standing to impress."

Marluxia sucked in air through his teeth with a hiss and let it out slowly as he cast a cure spell and focused it to his side. He could feel his skin stitching itself back together and the sensation both tickled and burned. "Anything else?" The man asked once the healing had finished.

Xemnas nodded then motioned for Marluxia to take a seat again. It was going to be a while. He wanted a complete account for what his subordinate had planned to do during the Castle Oblivion incident and though the matter was stated as forgiven, he still felt the need to know the details; likely, it would help to prevent such an occurrence from happening again.

* * *

Luxord poked his head out of his bedroom and looked down the hallway he shared with Xaldin, Vexen, and Marluxia. Xaldin's room was the only one with the lights on so he called out III's name. There was a thump, a yell, and then Xaldin was opening his door. He glared across the hallway at Luxord and waited for the gambler's response. "Do you think these chips are still good?" Luxord asked while bringing forth a bright foil bag from behind his back.

"What's the date it expires?" Xaldin asked in return before blowing stray strands of hair out of his face. Judging by his appearance it looked as if he'd been cleaning a dungeon instead of his room.

"What good is an expiration date if we don't know what year it is?" Luxord pressed a look of exasperation crossing his features. "Here," He tossed the bag across the hall to the other man who caught it expertly. Luxord watched as the elf sniffed at the foil before ripping it open and pulling out a thin slice of what used to be a potato. Bravely, Xaldin took a bite then threw the bag back to Luxord.

"They're extremely stale, but I don't suppose they'll kill you." And with that he slammed the door and was back to cleaning.

Luxord turned back to his own room and kicked a shirt out the way as he did so. "It's so good to be back," he said out loud before placing a hand to his chest. His physical heart beat was normal, yet, he knew not to be fooled. 'Something's still missing.' He shrugged off the thought just as he did his cloak and undershirt. They had all woken up in the matching outfits. But, the cloaks were only for use off world, or there at the end, to show the Keyblade Master their unity.

Luxord kicked off his boots and added them to the growing pile of apparel. Picking his way over to the right hand wall he made it over to his overstuffed reading chair and retrieved his favorite white collared shirt from off of the pale upholstered arm.

"I wonder what gambits we have left to use now," the short haired blonde mumbled. After changing he had flopped down onto his bed. He reached over from where he lie and pushed open the window and looked out. "Huh? Kingdom Hearts is gone. When the bloody hell did that happen?" All thoughts of cleaning his room were gone now. Except for the accumulated dust, it wasn't all that bad he figured. Popping a chip into his mouth he rolled over onto his stomach and stared down at his dirty maroon colored bed spread in contemplation. 'From the looks of it, it's already a checkmate.'


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

"So, how did you make it to the castle itself?" Saix asked out of mere curiosity. He had had his hopes dashed ten minutes after he had thought he'd won against the girl because within that allotted time she began talking again. For the moment Saix didn't feel like reprimanding so instead he humored the girl with conversation, limited though it was on his part.

"Well, by accident really. If not for luck, it all would have ended in unintentional suicide. These black creatures, I'm sure you've seen them, were chasing me and I ended up backed against the chasm. As I fought for ground enough for footing, one of the creatures managed to bat away the steel pipe I had been using to defend myself with. It was only by chance that I turned to see it had landed on something solid, even though to anything else the pipe was floating mid air. Faith alone prompted me to run towards it and like the pipe I did not fall. So... I bolted for your castle and either because they were too stupid—or too smart—they didn't follow and I made it here without any bite marks, just a few scratches." The girl was still lying back to the mattress as she rambled on.

'Axel would like her. She talks half as much as he does,' Saix thought, 'Or perhaps Luxord, he too is a good story teller.' The man fought back a yawn as he stretched out his limbs despite the encumbrance of the doorframe. They had both silently decided that if they were going to talk the door was best left open and Saix grew tired of standing after a while. Now, if anyone happened to walk by they would find the man sitting awkwardly in the doorway.

"It's a good thing it's been rainy here, I've had plenty to drink. So even though my stomach is more or less eating itself, I've managed to survive." Lyra was still talking? She was acting quite bold but that could be side-effect from a number of things: hunger, lack of social contact for what must have seemed a long time to her, or most probably it was just an attempt to elude sleep. "You guys _aren't_ going to kill me are you?" She asked again for what was possibly the fifth time.

"If you keep asking, _I _might just do it for spite." Saix warned. He tallied it a victory for himself that his comment put her to silence for almost a whole minute and he noticed it as she nervously glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. 'So she has not _completely_ forgotten the gravity of her situation.'

When next she spoke she was working her way into a sitting position, the aged bed squeaking under her shifting weight, "Do you think I'll be able to stay here?" The question was innocent in all appearance and not for the first time the girl looked weak and pathetic. She was looking at him hopefully, her tattered clothes and the grime on her face lending to a beaten look that would have elicited pity out of most people.

However, this was the same girl who had held her own against heartless without an effective weapon and had apparently gone three dayswithout eating. On top of it, despite the lack of sustenance and obvious fatigue she was still able to speak legibly, 'How is it she is still able to move?' Saix wondered. "I suppose we will find out your fate before the end of the day." It wasn't a clear answer, the elf was aware but it would do for now.

Lyra nodded and stood up from the grey bed, bad move. The sudden rush of blood and the lack of recent nourishment was enough to cause her to black out. Saix saw it coming as she swayed but he made no move to catch her. "Now she'll sleep," he muttered to himself as he rose from the floor to go in search of Xemnas. 'I'm hungry… and I know she is.'

Number VII found Xemnas in his office, a disgruntled looking Marluxia was just leaving as he entered. "Were you planning on sending anyone out for food?" He asked as he came to stand in front of the other man's paper cluttered desk.

"Lexaeus is already taking care of that. Nearly the first thing of importance he spoke to me about after helping Xigbar put the girl away was the issue of food." Xemnas's eyes darted to the ticking face of his clock then back to Saix, "Is your shift over?"

"No, but the girl is no longer conscious so I thoughtit was safe to assume she'd stay put," came the answer. Now that he thought about it, Saix did feel a little guilty about just leaving her in the floor.

Xemnas shrugged, unfazed. "Alright. Onto other things then. Have you seen the extent of the damages yet?" The silver-haired man had made himself a check-list and in the poor quality light of his lamp he was looking over the paper.

"No," the diviner's shoulder's sagged and his brows slunk. It didn't take a gift of clairvoyance to know his superior's next words and four minutes later found him on the first floor. He was not the only one there, Zexion, Vexen and Xigbar stood among the wreckage talking with each other. It seemed that II was filling his companions in on the events taking place after their deaths. When they noticed him the discussion hushed.

"Is it my shift already?" Xigbar questioned. A shake of the head was his answer so he shrugged and resumed his ramblings. "And apparently the kid had an extra elixir I wasn't aware of, but ultimately that's not what got me," he was recounting his own death now, "The thing of it was, the brat looked so much like Roxas I just hesitated."

"You know," Vexen broke in, "theoretically that shouldn't have been a problem. It's not like you could have felt anything that would have held you back."

"And that's where it's never made sense!" Saix had completely overlooked Demyx. The young musician was sitting on the ground, back rested against the door of this floor's bathroom. His posture was that of total boredom but he spoke as if he'd been attentive enough to join the conversation with confidence in what he was saying. "I don't know how you guys feel about it in honest, but I still remember my emotions clearly. I can feel things inside of me but I guess you could say I'm missing the pump and pressure to my water mains."

"Odd terminology." Zexion replied, looking down at the younger man at his side.

"But you get what I'm saying right? It's like having dug a well to get down to the water, the water being there but no way to bring it to the surface at will. Sometimes it's like someone else can come along and lower a bucket for you but it's not the same and not of your own doing." The boy stood and lazily stretched his back, "Speaking of water, do you guys want me to flood this place or not?"

"Flood?" Saix questioned, abruptly recalling his initial purpose for being down there.

"Oh yes that's right," Vexen said while slapping his forehead. "I guess I'll go ask Xemnas about that. Wait here, Demyx." The scientist opened a Dark-portal and then there were four.

"Well if that don't beat all," Demyx huffed while pushing back into the door in agitation.

Saix and Zexionboth quirked their brows at number IX, and Xigbar didn't seem to care. Demyx's unusual vernacular was something that they were familiar with, but it often amused them to hear little phrases from his culture that made little to no sense. The Melodious Nocturne came from a world that he described as industrial, with a good social solidarity despite the main stream weak family ties and impersonal relationships. It just turned out that this Northern Alabama place had a weird way of wording things. Not that it was the only World with cultural quirks.

Zexion turned his attention back to Demyx, who was slowly slinking back into sitting position. "So," he began with a smirk, "how long did it take you to come up with that analogy of yours?"

Demyx shrugged but Saix spoke, "That was a good way of putting it you know. Lacking though it might be in the long run, it sums it all up nicely."

"This isn't anything we haven't looked at before." Xigbardroned, quickly becoming bored with the line of conversation. How many times were they going to talk themselves in circles about the finer points of being a Nobody? Having been without a heart for longer than either Demyx or Saix, he was more inclined to leave out the talking and focus more on action.

"Do you ever wonder if we're too close to the situation to really come to the right conclusions about how to amend it?" Zexion mused.

"Well from what I can see, we've got all the numbers, it's just a matter of properly plugging them into an equation," Xigbar said crossing his arms. Nothing had changed. 'That spontaneous resurrection was something to be marveled at. Perhaps it ties into us being Nobodies and thus reevaluation isn't such a bad idea…'

"What if there _was _a mistake in these supposed integers?" Saix prompted, eager to play off of Demyx's theory. After all, didn't he rely on what felt like anger to get him through his fights—a lingering of emotion?

"I think Vexen suspects there is. He doesn't want to even keep the notes we had—the extremist that he is. Obviously he believes them useless and false," Zexion said while joining Demyx in sitting on the floor. 'With Xemnas being the Bureaucrat that he is, he will be a while in giving the okay to Vexen for us to continue cleaning.' He propped his legs on top of one of the bigger chunks of debris and waited for the next sentence to be thrown into the conversation.

"I don't think we should toss out all the notes, how else are we suppose to keep up with where we've been? Don't want to end up with the same wrong things twice," Xigbar reasoned. He had been thinking on that matter ever since Vexen had brought the subject up earlier.

"I concur." Saix remarked, as he headed a little ways down the hall towards Vexen's office, also know as the Organization's filing room. "I think Xemnas will eventually give consent to such a thorough cleaning so let us start moving everything to the next floor."

Zexion sighed, he had just sat down! But Xigbar saved them all the trouble because as VII opened the door the cabinets were already on their way out, guided by the strategic removal of gravity. Seven containers were pushed along and up through the gaping hole in the ceiling. How the Organization was going to patch the place up was another matter entirely. Cleaning, in the truest sense was going to be a major and unwanted project.

"That works," Saix commented, dissatisfied. "I had hoped for something to occupy my time with. I need to take my mind off of the hunger that's growing ever more violent."

"I think Lexaeus went to stock up on food, did he not?" Zexion asked.

"Yeah, he pulled Axel along with him." Xigbar nodded, "I saw them off." He popped his knuckles as the last of the filing drawers levitated to the second floor. "And that was about forty or so minutes ago, so, they'll be back soon enough."

"Do you know what's the deal with that Lyra girl, Saix?" Demyx asked the blue-haired elf before he had time to walk off. Was he the only one interested in her?

"I was just about to go check in on her. As in regards to your question, no, I don't really know much concerning her situation or what might become of her. She does talk a lot though, it's a wonder I don't have her whole life's story by now. She reminds me quite a bit of you and Axel." Saix replied with a straight face.

Xigbar gave a bark of a laugh, "Wear your ears down did she?"

"You should hope she remains unconscious when it comes time for you to watch her," Saix warned.

"Where would be the fun of that?"

"She's unconscious?"

Demyx and Xigbar spoke at the same time but Saix just gave one answer. "Yes."

From his spot on the floorZexion smirked, speaking the other two's minds, "Was that your doing?"

"No. But it was to my benefit," Saix replied with an answering small grin. "I shall let you get back to your cleaning. I still have an hour to go of my duty."

Demyx rolled his eyes and Saix left via portal. "You think he was lying?" He asked once the last tendrils of darkness faded.

"No," Zexion replied with a shrug, although he understood Demyx's doubts.

* * *

When Saix returned to Roxas' old room, the one being lent to this ostensible renegade, he found Larxene standing in the doorway with a blank expression on her features. At first it didn't seem as if she registered his presence but once he was beside her she regarded him. "I think Xemnas might let her stay," she said off handedly.

Saix looked into the room—Lyra was now on the bed, but Larxene did not seem to want credit for it. "What makes you say this?"

"Well, he's not thrown her out yet," the young womanquipped with a roll of her eyes. "And I don't know if I like that." The blonde had no real reason that she could put into words as to why she didn't want an outsider among them, but she didn't.

Saix didn't answer her nor did his body language say anything. Larxene sighed, "And I guess you don't care either way." She crossing her arms and cocking her leg, adjusting the distribution of her weight. "Or have you just divined what's going to happen and have had time to prepare against it?"

"I've used no foresight, but yes, I've prepared against either outcome." Unlike her, Saix didn't care at all if Lyra stayed or was dropped out on another World.

"Doesn't mean I have to like it," if it were possible, she looked almost sad. "I'm not even sure I like being back, at least in death there was no having to… to… Well hell, I can't even get across what I'm wanting to say." Larxene had never been good at expressing her real feelings and in light of all that had happened to her, she was extremely confused. She felt vulnerable and she hated it.

When she received no response, sympathetic or otherwise, she walked off without another word. Saix watched her go and then shut the door to the room and sat down beside it. 'It seems like everyone has their own perception of our new found situation.'

Personally, even he couldn't decide what he thought about it all. In the simplest form, there was a hope and a relief. This was a second chance. He closed his eyes and retreated into meditation, to clear his mind and recharge himself.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Lyra was nearly close to puking. She had eaten way too quickly when food had finally been presented to her. The red-head that supplied her with the two sandwiches was also busy stuffing his mouth it and so she couldn't see why he was laughing at her ravage attack against the meager cuisine, he wasn't even able to talk properly due to his cheeks being full. After he left—not before introducing himself as Axel—it was not long before someone else was at the door. "Come with me," a man of her exact hight with short choppy hair only a few shades of blue lighter than her own had come for her.

He led her up several stairs, then, after crossing one long corridor after another he'd left her to an already opened door which resulted in the second source of her nausea... She was now alone with the leader. Like before, he seemed to be dealing with her distantly and with a certain amount of contempt. He had motioned her in, then requested she have a seat in one of the two chairs in front of his desk. "Are you in a better mood?" Xemnas began lightly. It almost seemed as if he were trying to pacify her apprehension. In all appearances he didn't seem all that threatening.

Lyra silently nodded in answer to his question so he continued, "Good. Are you ready to start this little question and answer session over again?" The girl didn't move so Xemnas took to talking again, "Now, for your personal interests, it is best that you answer all my questions honestly. To begin with, have you any idea yet of who we are?"

The girl shook her head and clinched and unclenched her fists nervously. Was she suppose to know who they were? The single orange/yellow lamp on his desk glowed warmly but Lyra knew that it could not be blamed for the perspiration on the back of her neck. She just wished her stomach would unknot. If she didn't feel like she was going to puke maybe things could go a lot smoother on her part. As it was, she could almost feel the bile rising to her throat. If this persisted it was very possible that she would pass out again.

"We're Organization XIII. Have you heard of us?" The man saw her growing discomfort and even though his lamp distorted her complexion, he noticed how pale she was. Maybe now wasn't a good time for this after all.

No. If she was going to earn a place to sleep she needed to do it now.

The girl hesitated then nodded. "Rumors mostly. But according to word of mouth from ship to ship, you people have been—well dead, for lack of a better word, for about six years now." She took a deep breath and focused on her breathing. Slow and deep to fight back the shakes and feeling of claustrophobia. It felt she were really getting sick, and if she continued to think about it the worse she was going to feel. 'In. Out. In. Out.' She should not have eaten so much, so quickly after having gone that long without food. The fact that her life was literally on the line didn't help matters either. A lot of her stomach problems could be summed up in one word: nervousness.

Xemnas was without words for nearly a whole minute. Six years? So was their resurrection spontaneous? Did this girl perhaps have anything to do with it? Despite the fact that his personal bias felt that she couldn't have, he knew the scientist part of his character wouldn't let him rule out any sort of possibility. Naturally, this would need further investigation and that was the whole reason Xemnas had the girl before him now. There were certain things he felt he had to know. "What are you doing on this world? The stars know that you can't be a native." Xemnas commented.

"Well, some things were said, a conspiracy here, a little bad mouthing there and one ill positioned girl," she pointed to herself for the last statement. With the topic now on less fate deciding matters Lyra found herself talking a little more freely; the lack of formality she now spoke in reflected this slight ease. "Moral to the story, I was banished. Exiled for something I didn't do."

Xemnas did not question the didactic tone she now took on. Chances were that it wouldn't last. "Do you think this world was pre-selected?" Perhaps her people had purposefully sent her here?

"I guess it could have been. Up until, um, a day... or a few hours ago possibly," not having a time for reference was beginning to get at her again, "I thought this place was completely uninhabited by people. The perfect place if they wanted me dead."

Xemnas nodded. "I take it you no longer wish for that yourself." He watched and, for the first time, the girl pulled her eyes away from his.

With her gaze now trained on the dark wood of his bookshelf that rested to the far left of his desk she hesitantly answered, "No. I was not thinking clearly earlier." This admission did not seem easy for her; she still had pride and to admit to acting like a fool must have taken some work for her. Taking into account that she still looked ill, getting her to be this cooperative was a job all in and of itself, Xemnas realized.

"Do you possess any useful talents? On the chance that I permit you to stay here, will you be able to do more than take up space should we call upon you to apply yourself?" Throughout the period of time he had been speaking to her, he had been silently assessing her. He did not want it to look like he was just going to give her free admission to their living space, it was now all a matter of seeing if she could earn it.

The girl didn't return her eyes to him. She instead looked at everything else possible, or so impression declared. If his suspicions were correct it was now informal submission rather than embarrassment. "I-I was considered among the elite of the palace guards of my home world. There were few of us enough to claim a special rank rather than just another branch of military, yet there was more than just myself and a small number so that it doesn't seem like I'm trying to raise myself up in your eyes." Once again she was becoming aware of the cold sweat shimmering across her upper body. It was the moment of judgment and she knew it. "I can do a number of things and I am also fairly competent in battle…" Was she being too muted in this description? Bragging might not be right and lying certainly wasn't. Lyra quietly prayed she wasn't going to blow it.

Xemnas almost wondered if she was about to ruin his carpet. If her posture was any indication, something wasn't agreeing with her and he could only hope there wouldn't be vomit on the floor any time soon. "Good enough I suppose." He retired himself from his former position of leaning imposingly over the desk. "To tell the truth, I have a lot of other matters to attend to, so pick a number one through ten and that man will work as your chaperon of sorts." He had purposely left XI and XII out of the drawing. "Do not be a nuisance, however. Try to fend for yourself as much as possible, for convince sake."

Lyra didn't feel like she was in a position to question things so she didn't. For the time she realized her safest option was cooperation. "Seven." She replied, giving the first number that came to her head.

"Ah. Good for you then. You've already been acquainted with Saix so proceedings from here will be less rugged." The man stood up. "Wait here, don't touch my things, and I'll send him for you."

Lyra inhaled sharply as a large mass of blackness appeared out of nowhere and the man calmly stepped through it. The gummi ship—when long ago she'd been introduced to one as a child—had been hard enough to accept... but this new device, apparently also used for transportation, was far more alien than the other things she had seen.

For what felt like ten minutes she sat there in sullen silence and slowly her nerves began to collect. She wasn't about to die so there wasn't much need for panic. With survival the priority, she could easily overlook all the unsavory stories she had heard about these people. It's not as if they were ever predominate figures in her society anyway, so the half gossips she was exposed to in the past already lost their luster to her. Even if these people were supposed killers—something not truly hard to believe at this point—she had lasted a few days in their domain. There was hope yet.

A soft sound emitted from behind her and Lyra turned in her seat to see another of the black gates appearing. When the lithe man exited he wasted no time before beckoning her to follow him out. "I've been told to get you a change of clothes and that you need to bathe."

At this point the girl couldn't care less that she'd just been slightly insulted and secretly she was pleased with her escort. If she were to have a pretense of ease towards any of these people it was probably going to be more to this man, rather than any of the others she'd met. He at least didn't seem fake to her. His blunt mannerism—albeit sometimes a little harsh—was the one characteristic she had been able to discern and deal with. With the others so far it was like walking on eggshells.

"Then the plumbing is working?" She asked needlessly. The left over tension mingling with her nervous sickness was prompting her to try and make conversation, anything to expel the excess adrenaline.

"Yes," he answered placidly. Saix shrugged off talking easily and the remainder of their trek—down two hallways and a flight of stairs—passed in silence.

Abruptly the man came to a stop and knocked on a closed door. A female answered him, Lyra recognized her as the one from before who had so pessimistically remarked upon her predicament. "Xemnas has asked that clothing be provided for this girl. Do you have anything she can fit into? I realize you're a little less in stature than her," Saix informed her.

The blonde looked Lyra over carefully then shook her head. "Height might not be the problem but bust certainly would be. Any shirt of mine would be a little too tight in the chest." She replied with a smirk. "Is she heading to the showers?"

"Yes."

The female Organization member smiled, "Xigbar's in there." The statement was obviously meant to draw a negative reaction from the other girl and that mission was a success as Lyra's face took on a wrinkle of worry. "You might try asking Demyx, he likes to wear those baggy clothes." The woman continued on as if nothing were out of place.

Saix nodded and led his charge a few paces down the hall and round the corner. Lyra almost stumbled into a side, decorative table as she made the turn. The prospect of being forced to bathe with an unknown man did not settle well with her. Some lines she just would not cross! "Are there separate showers? I will not be naked with a man in the room."

Number VII blew at a lock of his hair nondescriptly as part of his answer. "There are walls between each faucet; your modesty won't be compromised. I would possibly spare you some by letting you go to the other bathroom but the floor it is located on is currently inaccessible. Either way, you should sooner than later learn that you will not be catered to here. Get yourself used to not finding situations to your liking."

They were in the hallway she was becoming quite familiar with, the one in which her room was located. For the first time, Lyra took into account that there were other doors occupying the wall aside from her own. On the left side there were three, about twelve walking steps away from each other and on the right side of the corridor was a room alone to itself. Saix led the way to the last door on the left and knocked. When there was no answer he simply entered.

The room looked fairly well lived in, with rumpled sheets, posters of foreign icons, and an assortment of personal belongings, each respectively covered in dust. The man walked over to the closet and picked through the musty, stiff apparel. He tossed to her a green sleeveless top then made his way over to the already half open dresser that was propped against the messy lime green bed. Saix dug though the drawer for a moment then pulled out some baggy looking black pants and handed them to her. "Here you go." He said before shooing her back out of the room.

"Will this Demyx guy not get upset at you for giving me his clothes?" Lyra questioned as they walked the rather short distance back to the bathroom she had used before.

"No. And before you ask, he is the one who initially ran into you. Now you may put a face to the name," Saix offered briskly as he halted outside of the restroom door. Just before he was about to have her enter, their attention was called elsewhere as the girl from earlier rounded the corner from her hallway to theirs. They waited as she caught up to them.

"You might want these." She said holding a wad of white fabric out to the timid other female. Even though the gesture was seemingly kind, the girl still managed to sound condescending.

"Thanks." Lyra nodded as she took the offered panties, sincerely grateful. With the exchange over, the blonde left them swiftly. Before Lyra turned to open the door she looked at Saix, "What is her name?"

"Larxene." He answered. "Now, I have faith that you can walk the few feet from here to your holding room. You'll find unopened soap in the small blue boxes in the back of the shelf that holds the towels and washing clothes."

She nodded, her stomach clinching up again. She'd not entirely recovered and it didn't look like the nausea was going away any time soon. The hesitation didn't last much longer and slowly she reached out and pushed open the door to the already steamy bathroom and the blue haired man left, but before he could make it completely out of sight she called to him, "Do you have any razors?"

He turned and regarded her calculatingly. "It's for grooming purposes only." She assured him, assuming that he was worried she would try killing herself.

That seemed to be the case because he gave her a skeptical glare but he relented, "Top shelf above the towels and soap." With a nod of thanks she entered the bathroom.

As she walked, her shoed feet padded flatly against the tile flooring and slowly she made her way past sinks that were opposite the wall that extended past the toilets and towards the back of the room. If all the showers were connected she hoped she could at least get in one away from the man that was already bathing. To her luck, as she turned to her right and caught sight of the three separated stalls, it was the middle one that was occupied. She'd have no choice but stand beside him.

Lyra found everything with ease and soon afterwards she entered the stall left of Xigbar's. Timidly, she undressed and tossed her clothes over the door where they landed in a pile beside the borrowed ones. Inhaling deeply, and wishing desperately that the air wasn't so humid, Lyra turned the knobs to start the water running. 'I feel like I'm going to vomit,' she thought dejectedly.

This impulse to puke wasn't helped by the brown water squirting unevenly from the neglected shower-head. Luckily, the wait wasn't long before the steaming jet was clear and as soon as the last of the rust water had washed down the drain Lyra moved to the middle of the stall.

As soon as the gunner noticed the adjoining shower nozzle's activation he called out a greeting to whoever might be joining him. He was surprised to hear the girl, Lyra, answering him. Her voice sounded shy and muffled over the patter of water. "How're you feeling kid?" He asked as he looked up to angle his head better under the water and amused himself by pushing the rising wafts of steams into odd patterns with his talent.

"Not too well, actually." The girl replied, wishing he would stop talking to her. It would be easier to act like he wasn't there if he was silent. She turned her eyes to the floor as she stepped completely under the cascade and breathed though her mouth heavily as she watched the gray swirls leak off her body and down the drain in the center of the stall. As she watched the dirt wash away she realized that, despite how much she needed it, this shower thing wasn't doing it for her. The heat was making her feel more ill.

"Heh, sorry to hear that." Xigbar said after a moment, he had taken a little while to respond because a particularly tough knot had distracted him while rinsing out the shampoo. Suddenly, his spine stiffened and his nose scrunched as a minute later he made out the all too familiar sounds of puking rising above the sounds of the running water. Without thinking, he turned off his shower and was out of his stall and entering hers– mildly surprised to find the door unlocked. Her exposed body was flushed and hunched over on her knees.

"Wow, you're sure _not _okay." Xigbar commented softly, as he leaned over her and wrapped the towl that he had grabbed from off the door around her to save the girl's modesty, while not caring about his own. He helped her up and away from the stream before going to turn it down, leaving it on only for the purpose of washing away the mess now splattered on the off white tiles.

He walked back over to her, she was once again in the crouching position and he slunk down to join her. "Are you able to breathe properly? Is your side hurting?" A number of possible afflictions ran through his head. It was apparent that Xemnas was going to let her stay, the simple fact that she was not dead yet was proof enough. Xigbar worried at his lower lip as he tried to name her problem. It wouldn't do for her to up and die!

Lyra shook her head, unable to find the words to verbally answer. 'Well my stomach feels better.' Tears began to spill over from her eyes. 'What a mess,' she thought despairingly; and, she wasn't referring to the pungent-ness perforating from a few steps away.

When long ago, in the days that he'd been a student and was known as Braig, Master Ansem had called for well rounded students. The six of them dabbled in everything, and though psychology had been Ienzo's major, Xigbar knew enough from his time working in that field to competently handle the unfolding situation. This was one of those unlooked for times when bits and pieces of old lessons were handily coming back to him. This young girl was certainly going through a lot. Right now, crying was possibly the best thing for her.

'Dammit, where is Zexion? He might be a little better at this.' Feeling slightly uncomfortable, and not because of his undress, he put an arm around her shaking body, his intention to comfort.

'There is a naked man hugging me. And the only thing I am wearing is a towel.' She realized vaguely. 'My life is hell.' With this new epiphany she sobbed harder and for a brief lapse in her morals she shifted so that she was leaning against the man, her face in Xigbar's bare shoulder. If she had thought earlier that she had already hit her lowest point then she was grievously mistaken. "I'm s-so pathe-etic!" Her voice cracked on the last word, her throat already becoming raw.

"I can't pretend to know your situation, but I'm sure it's not as bad as you currently see it." He replied soothingly as he steadily rubbed her slick back. 'Wow, it's been a while since _I've _been called on to give advice.' He just held her and allowed her to let loose. A few minutes later and the girl's crying broken into jerking gasps for breath, "If you're not careful you'll hyperventilate," the elf said reasonably and he felt her nod against him.

She sucked in deeply and held her breath for a few seconds before letting it out slowly, the exiting air quivering unevenly. "I really don't feel good," she said in a small voice. "Thank you for being kind to me. I'm trying not to be a burden. Apparently, I'm not good at it."

"Well, as of right now you're not really _too_ much trouble." Xigbar said, making light of the situation a bit. She pulled away and looked at him, it was in that instant that she realized who exactly it was and she had to admit that he wasn't the jerk she had thought. He was regarding her in return with his one good eye—the other was squinted shut and a little gnarled looking with its covering removed. It took about a minute but she soon flushed, closed her eyes, and averted her face. He _was_ still naked.

Xigbar quirked a brow at her sudden change but then looked down. He smirked as it occurred to him what the problem was. He stood up, turned off the water now that the floor was rid of the orange color, and left the stall to retrieve his own towel. Once he was covered he returned and coaxed her to her feet. "I still feel queasy." She whispered as she swayed a little.

"Then let's see if this time you can make it to the toilet," he said as he guided her around to the front of the room, dripping the whole while as their feet slapped against the cool of the marble. Xigbar pushed open the door of the fist toilet stall they came to and let her enter first into the smaller and more shadowed area. He reached forward and pulled back her shoulder length, navy hair.

It didn't take long, with a feeling of claustrophobia added to everything else, before she was emptying the rest of her stomach content. Her shoulders lurched and soon she was only dry heaving. "Looks that's all you have in ya."

Lyra nodded and turned to face him after flushing away the bile. Secretly, she wished to be further comforted but she said nothing as she waited for him to move so that she could get out of the small space. He stepped aside and about that time the door opened.

"Well, I know what you said, but I don't give a bloody-" The blonde now entering the bathroom suddenly halted in his stride, yelling, and the pulling down of his pants.

"It's you're own fault! Next time, if you don't know for sure, don't eat it!" A returned shout carried into the room from somewhere down the hall.

The new arrival ignored Xaldin's reply and instead focused on the task of redoing his britches. "S-sorry you had to see that, got a little ahead of myself." He recovered smoothly. A silence fell for a few brief seconds but then Luxord asked, "What exactly are you two doing standing there half naked?"

"Well, Luxord, drop your pants again and we'll show you." Was Xigbar's swift rejoinder, he had been waiting on the man to ask. They both got some enjoyment out of the strangled noise of surprise and mortification that escaped from the girl's throat but they held solemn eye contact for a few more seconds to lengthen the show. With a smirk from the both of them the false tension was broken.

"So, what was the problem? Seemed to 'ave missed that." Luxord said while crossing the distance to the stalls.

"She got sick and I was helping her out a bit," Xigbar answered with a noncommental shrug. The elf quickly made sure the girl wasn't looking at his face then set about grabbing Luxord's attention. Once accomplished, the look the elf gave him spoke the rest enough, _She's staying__, we need to look out for her. _Luxord gave a subtle, curt nod and Xigbar knew that at least some of the message had been interpreted.

"Figures that it would be something innocent like that." Luxord said putting his hand on the edge of the flat surface of the stall divider, taking a step in, anxious to get back to his business but still willing to carry out a few moments more of conversation. He smiled and patted the girl's moistened cheek, "Hope you get to feeling better soon, love." He said before disappearing behind the thin navy tented door slab.

Lyra sighed and shook her head, her sodden locks slapping against her face as Xigbar grinned and led her back around to the showers. There was certainly a lot she was going to have to get used to with these people. At this point in time, she couldn't even decide how some of them were to be taken.

"He's supposedly a lady's man on his home World. Don't read too much into his blatant flirting," Xigbar said, loud enough for the other man to hear and there came an indignant snort from the front of the room.

Now back at the showers, Lyra stood there awkwardly as she contemplated about what next to do. The steam had more or less diffused and she was no longer nauseous, just weak. "Well, um… I'm going to resume my shower, I guess." She nodded to the man still standing beside her.

He nodded back , "Alright, catch you later then. I'm done here." And with that he walked past her to the towel shelf where she noticed he had stored his clothes neatly on the empty bottom alcove—a stark difference from her own that lay in a rumpled pile at her feet.

Once he was gone she dropped her towel and replaced it again on the handle before darting back behind the door of the stall and starting the water again. She was grateful that no heavy stench lingered from her accident. Minutes later she was done and she cut the water off, if she couldn't say she felt a lot better she could at least revel in the feeling of being clean.

She stood there for a moment, letting the droplets roll off of her before finally she resolved to exit. She reached her hand out first and secured her fingers around the slightly damp, white fabric of the cloth that hung on the opposite side of the door handle. Pulling it to her and rewrapping herself she emerged only to gasp, and nearly lose her footing after involuntarily taking a jump back. The blonde from earlier was standing there waiting on her with his back propped against the parallel white wall.

He smiled disarmingly and averted his eyes for her sake, "Didn't mean to startle you." Luxord replied honestly. "Just wanted my chance to talk with you." He replied.

Lyra blushed and nodded, "If you wouldn't mind letting me get dressed first?" She asked hesitantly.

Luxord smiled, "Ah, no, no by all means do cloth yourself." He replied fiddling with his cufflinks idly while he waited for her to slip back behind the door and dress. When she opened the door again his immediate response was to quirk an eyebrow, 'Where did she get hold of some of Demyx's clothes?' He wondered. "Did Saix set you up with that particular outfit?"

Lyra nodded, "Do you think that Demyx will mind that I'm borrowing them? Saix said he wouldn't but I'd rather make sure."

Luxord shook his head with a chuckle, his opalescent ear jewelry catching the long florescent lights above their heads as he did so. "No, not a bit." He assured her before changing the topic again, "So, have you spoken to Xemnas?" He asked and at her blank expression, clarified, "The stoic guy with the long silver hair."

Lyra blushed at having not known who he was talking about. "Oh. Yes." In the back of her mind she wondered how long this guy was going to have her stand there. She was really looking forward to sitting and the back of her knees where beginning to tingle and ache as if to second that notion.

Luxord nodded, "I guess it's all official now." He decided to reiterate the matter to her. The tone in which he took was meant to call attention to the irregularity of her situation. "Despite the oddity of you actually getting to stay, let's move on to would what be nice to know." He said with a grin. "Larxene is the prissy blonde lass, she's the one might want to look out for the most. She 'as a temper and very subtle about the way she vents it. You're buddy Saix has a temper too but he's an old fashioned guy with a real high class background and unless in a fight that memory will usually keep 'im in check."

Luxord wasn't even going to bring up the tiny detail that no one in the castle had a heart except her. To him, it was as if no difference existed anyway, at least not any more. Thus, he felt he could overlook the technicalities.

"Demyx, the lad who's clothes you've commandeered, is an easy fellow to get along with and he'd more than likely let you be his friend if you wanted. His buddy Axel—the bratty red head you've probably caught sight of—is a little more rambunctious and to let your guard down around him would be careless. Over all he's not a bad guy I don't suppose, and you look around their ages."

"Could we, um, continue this somewhere else? I'd really like to sit down. I seem to have already been given a room if you wouldn't care to join me in there instead." Lyra interrupted as politely as possible.

Luxord nodded, not yet losing his grin, "Guess it is a little awkward to be chit chattering in the latrines." He held out his arm with a slight bend in his frame as if to say _lead the way_.

The two of them made it to Lyra's appointed room without fuss. To their surprise, when the girl opened the door the duo was greeted with the sight of Saix cleaning. Luxord gave a small chuckle at the dirt smudged man– he even had a few stray pieces of lint in his usually silken blue tresses. "What in the bloody 'ell are you doing?" He asked, momentarily slipping into a thinker dialect due to the sheer amusement of the display.

"Cleaning. What good would it have done to have her bathe and then the instant she comes here to sit down she reverts back to looking like a dwarf who's just left Moria?" Saix really didn't care that the effectiveness of his analogy was lost on them due to their ignorance of his world and he continued on uninterrupted.

Lyra burned with shame, she was causing even more inconveniences is seemed. "You should have said something before I got in the shower and I would have helped you clean." She told him with regret in her voice.

Saix shrugged off her words. Truth be told he hadn't even thought of it at the time. He looked at Luxord questioningly for a moment, as if wondering what X was doing there but he said nothing and choose in place of it to simply pick up the mattress—sheets and all—and carry it all out of the room.

Lyra stuck her head out the door and watched as he walked with his burden down the hall, the opposite way she and the blonde had just come. "Don't worry about him." Luxord said while walking the short distance to the right hand side of the room where a writing desk was pushed against the wall. He chose the barren surface of the desk as his seat and used his foot to nudge the chair out from under it to offer to the girl. "Let's talk."

Some fifteen minutes passed of a predominantly one sided conversation before Luxord finally picked up the subtle hints that she didn't want him there at the moment. He soon there after politely excused himself once he'd finished giving his personalized rendition of all the Organization member's profiles. 'Now there's a poor girl.' He thought to himself as he made his way down the halls, headed for the stairs and preparing to go to his own room again. As he sauntered down the corridor he happened across Saix, who was still carrying Roxas' old bed and covers. On an impulse of curiosity Luxord stopped the other man.

"Did Xemnas assign you to that girl?" He asked as the two came to stand paused and abreast each other.

"Yes. Why do you ask?"

"I was wondering why you had given her your particular style of devotion." Luxord said nonchalantly. "Cleaning the sheets?"

"It is no hefty commodity. Besides the point, I have an unnatural tendency towards cleanliness remember?" Saix said with the smallest of quirks to his lips. He held a kind of companionship with the shantung blonde gambler and this last comment was in reference to a joke Luxord had made against him. Something about sink faucets and genitals.

Luxord gave a broad smile in a momentary spark of mirth. This new demeanor came from the surprise arising from Saix's unusual slip in conduct. It was a rare scene indeed when number VII said anything lewd– or even made an attempt at humor. "I do believe it." Number X said in reply, talking specifically about the joke.

Saix just shook his head and began walking again, back towards Lyra's room, intent on replacing the now clean bed coverings to their place. He shifted the mattress to his other shoulder and gave a quick nod in acknowledgement of departure and the two continued on their way.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

* * *

_**Days before Lyra found herself on the World that Never was, on the other side of the Universe, the events that would send her there were coming to a head.**_

**_----_**

The Islands weren't as quiet as Sora and he had expected. It seemed the initial plan that his optimistic friend once had of returning the Worlds back to their solitary existence was gone. Because of their adventures, Sora attracted a lot of attention and with that came routine visits. At least, that's how it started out.

Over the years Destiny Islands had become sort of a tourist spot, especially now that Gummi technology was becoming more popular. Even worlds like Agrabah—which Riku thought would never drift towards inner-dimensional exploration—now had some commerce off world.

The Worlds were aware of each other now and there was no going back. Even new ways of transportation were being found. While Gummi ships remained the dominate means of transportation, some Worlds were going so far as to harnessing magic similar to the gates Darkness offered and were using that to go places.

Naturally, this expansion caused its fair share of concerns and arguments. Riku could often be caught swearing under his breath every time a conversation came up prophesying imperialism and war. To him, although he could see these people's fears, the claims were weak at best and nothing more than paranoia. That was the thing though, while a good many people embraced this open door policy, a great deal more feared it.

The way Sora saw things, and Riku shared this belief, was that the biggest threats to the Worlds were gone now. Organization XIII was dead, Kingdom Hearts was shut—not just shut, completely inaccessible, and the Heartless numbers were so far dwindled it was as if they'd never existed.

Riku spared himself a small smile as he sank into his hammock. For the moment he put his musings aside to in order to enjoy the evening. Days like this didn't come often enough for him. The island he lived on—the very one he had "conquered" as a child—was comfortingly serene; an unusual treat for him lately. The sun was blanketed in just the right places with generous white clouds and a soft wind blew up from the ocean, fragrant and fresh.

With a stretch, the silver haired man adjusted himself so that he could look into the kitchen window of his home. The house itself stood where once a part of the old club house had. Most of the motley jungle-gym still remained intact for sentimental values but this reinforced settlement held more promise of happiness than the dry-rotted playhouse ever had. Two bedrooms, a living-room, dining-room, full bath and a white wash finish with tan trim. It was simple, but it was home.

It hadn't taken Riku much to legally claim the land for his house, and it took even less to furnish it thanks to Sora and the bevy of friends he had made on his journeys. However, there was one piece of this happy picture he had had to work for. She was currently walking towards him, light caramel skin glowing in the sun and ebony hair blowing in the salt-kissed breeze.

Yanna graced him with a soft smile as she filled glasses for the two of them with a fruit blend native from her World. Riku brought the sweet drink to his lips but swiftly decided that they wanted something else. Before his wife could sit herself down beside him, he wrapped an arm around her supple waist and guided her lie against him. He smiled at her blush, a thing that appeared often and sometimes threatened to become redder than the symbol of marriage she insisted on wearing atop her brow as was custom of her culture.

Riku took full advantage of her proximity to seize her lips, a prize he had won just two years prior. Technically, that's how her people saw it anyway. Riku was still trying break her from the view that she was slightly subservient to him.

He had met Yanna about four years ago while on a trip with Sora and Aladdin to test out one of the recently developed unconventional doors to a "new" World. The place they had stumbled into was called Ayodha and from there, the daughter of one of the men of Court, Yanna, had volunteered to be their guide shortly after their arrival. It wasn't love at first sight but Riku had been forced to make many return visits to that remote country—namely because it was a nexus for five other Worlds, and travel outside of warping was slow. Each trip he would make the two of them always seemed to chance upon one other. A friendship grew and soon, it was a little more.

At first, Riku had wondered if she was simply curious. Ayodha was, after all, just recently opened to other Worlds so foreigners were far and few between, and still quite the oddity. But, apparently it was their personalities that drew them together.

"What are you thinking about?" Yanna interrupted his reminiscing with a deeply accented, husky whisper. Her hazel-green eyes found his turquoise ones and held them.

He struggled within the confines of the netted hammock and the weight of the extra body to shrug. "Just about how we met."

"Ah." Was her simple response, but she didn't look completely satisfied. "How about I phrase it like this then. What _were _you thinking about?"

Riku forced out another shrug, "Politics."

Yanna smiled and tugged at his loosely bound hair, "You are much too serious. Sora can handle most of that."

Riku let out a light chuckle. "Oh no, the fact is, he can't. That light-hearted goon knows nothing about actual political affairs. In the past it's just been his cheerful personality and luck that's prevented trouble."

"That, and perhaps his formidable weapon," Yanna pointed out with a smile. She nuzzled her head into the crook of his neck, enjoying the time to have him all to herself.

"Yes, but even the keyblade wouldn't save him if an entire nation decided he was a threat. I'm lucky to have you, because I'll not lie, not even _I_ am a good diplomat. You were raised in politics."

"You dramatize," she replied playfully. It was true, though, she had been in semi-high standing on her own World and had grown up within sight of the Palace. Marrying her had seemed like a problem, but Riku wasn't above pulling the Universal Hero and Great Warrior cards to gain a little favor on his behalf.

Riku sighed and let his light eyes drift away from his wife towards a far point on the horizon: the mainland. Riku knew Sora wasn't there, but that was always the direction he turned when he thought of the other man. Sora was at Radiant Garden and the week before that Disney Castle. Next week, chances were good that he would be on the other side of the universe. Riku sighed, 'I'm not sure how I come off as the busy one.'

"You okay?" His wife questioned affectionately, pulling his attention once again to the present.

"Mmhm." He replied halfheartedly. Riku closed his eyes and sank further into the hammock, bringing his feet up to balance on the ropes and running his fingers through Yanna's onyx hair. His fingers got tangled a few times thanks to the persistent sea breeze but then the task of successfully navigating them back out again without pulling hard soon became a pastime all its own, giving his restlessness something to do while his mind wondered.

With the warm sun over head and her husband's steady heartbeat as a mantra to get lost to, it wasn't long before Yanna's breathing slowed, a tell-tale sign of slumber, and Riku too was thinking about a nap. He slung his left leg down from its perch and began to gently rock his netted swing. The rhythm his swaying took on soon seemed to sync up with that of the distant waves, the slow steady breathing of his wife, as well as the rustle of the wind through the leaves above them.

And then there was a baby's scream.

Yanna jerked but was slow to move. Riku had tensed as soon as he heard his daughter and he could swear he discerned a note of despair in her infant cries, more than just a call for mamma's attention.

Before Yanna had even taken two steps Riku was up and passing her at a run. "Hey!" He caught his wife's yell of surprise before tearing open the door and rushing towards the back of the house. His weapon was in his hand in a blink and in the next his eyes were glaring at the figure slouching over the baby's crib.

Yanna rushed after him, her maternal instincts as well on high, but it turned out that he wouldn't be the only one to leave her in the wake. "Move!" She heard a familiar voice yell before she was pushed aside by a messy haired brunette.

Strong hands caught her from where Sora had knocked into her. "Sorry," came the gruff monotone voice as another male barreled past. "Hey! Try not to kill it!" Cid called ahead of him. Suddenly more worried, Yanna tried to pick up her pace again but was cut short due to the pilot's hulking figure in the door. "Best you wait out here, Mrs. Wakaouji."

"My baby's in there!" The woman protested, quickly becoming frantic. She didn't know what was wrong, but anyone could see something was. She heard a gruff shout from Riku and her spine went rigid.

"And so's your husband. He and Sora ain't pushovers, ya know." Cid replied, remaining calm and keeping a guarding, calloused hand on the woman's shoulder to keep her from entering the house.

Resigned to being held back, but not completely compliant, Yanna twisted her way in front of the blonde to get a better view, albeit not much could be observed from the kitchen. In almost the same second she managed to step into the house, Sora was already backing out from around the corner that led down the hall and to the bedrooms. Riku soon emerged after him, his arm extended and bloody, holding a still thrashing creature that seemed bright enough to be made wholly from fire. The creature was about the size of a Terrier dog with a flattened, startlingly human looking face and a body covered in shimmering gold and red fur.

Wordlessly, Riku slew the thing. Its body dusted and faded away, disappearing as though dispersed by a sudden wind. Just like a Heartless would.

"Damn," Cid swore. His comment covered both his disappointment in not getting a live specimen and at his sympathy towards the cuts Riku now sported. The blue-eyed pilot sighed and shook his head, still trying to catch his breath from running earlier.

The slashes were already vanishing as a swirl of green light engulfed the extended appendage as Riku cast a cure spell. Once that was done the silver haired man acknowledged his guests. To their surprise his first question wasn't 'what was that thing?' but rather, "What are you two doing here?"

Cid gave a smile at him and it was at this point he let go of Yanna, who in turn ran down the short hall to retrieve the still crying Eva. "Still lacking Sora's directness, eh?" Cid pointed out with a chuckle.

"I've always found it useful to not act too much like him. Besides, my way works just as well." Riku said, defending his need to be thorough and starting at the beginning, "I'll still get what I need to know regardless of if I just come out right and demand 'what the hell was _that_' or start a little before that." He raised an eyebrow as if expecting a challenge.

Despite his calm demeanor, both Cid and Sora could see that Riku was shaken. Sora admired his friend even more for his bravado and so instead of pointing out the tremors in the other man's body he simply answered the question asked of him, "We left the Bastion at Radiant Garden yesterday because Merlin had contacted us about some trouble with the Cornerstone of Light. That thing you just killed? Disney Castle is swamped with them. Yen Sid—who was there too—said he thinks they might spread just like before. It looks like the Darkness isn't as finished as we thought." Sora ran a hand through his medium length hair which he had taken to wearing a little straighter. It didn't fall to his shoulders limply, but it was no longer styled to stick up. "When we landed here, three of those monsters jumped out form the storage compartment of our ship and we killed two on the mainland. The one you got? We had lost sight of it after chasing it here- those buggers swim fast, but when we heard little Eva, we knew it had to be it."

Riku listened to this obviously watered down tale and let it sink it. But Sora wasn't done rambling, "On the way here, we stopped at a few other worlds-"

"Which was only three." Cid interrupted before looking around and pulling one of the stools away from the half bar-counter to take for himself.

"-to see if they were having any problems too. Only one had any weird reports. Hercules said the people in Olympia are calling them Nephilim: children of fallen angels, he explained." Sora went on breathlessly, deciding breathing was secondary at this point.

Riku understood that his friend was excited but that was about the only thing he got out of the speedy summary. Everything else refused to make much sense. He watched as Sora paced back and forth across the hardwood floor of his kitchen and continued to speak at a rapid fire speed with Cid cutting in every other sentence to add in some detail he felt was left out.

"Yen Sid and Mickey want to talk to you." Finally, Sora had said something that was immediately comprehensible. But it wasn't something that Riku really wanted to hear.

"I can't leave," he replied swiftly. After what had just happened, he wasn't looking forward to going anywhere and leaving his family defenseless. Upon thinking about them he leaned back and careened his neck around the corner to look down the hall for Yanna to be coming back. She wasn't so he turned his attention back to the other men.

Cid nodded knowingly. "That thing stowed aboard our ship. I don't think you got to be worryin' about any more making it here to trouble your home just yet. Best to try and stomp these bastards out now so that it never comes to that, though." The older man said sagely.

Reluctantly, Riku admitted that Cid had a point. "Give me till tomorrow." He said at last after debating it over in his mind.

"Done." The graying blonde conceded before Sora could protest; despite that Sora was one of the Keyblade Masters, Cid had senority, which meant his word was law. Shortly after that the two men left, heading back to the mainland to restock and wait for Riku to join them so they could set out.

Riku saw them off but as soon as they were gone he saw nothing but the back of his eye lids as he closed them in thought. Wheeling around, he pressed his back to the hardwood doorway and slowly zoned out. This was too much too soon and he now had a headache.

Gentle hands soon tempted him to open his eyes again. "Come lie down," Yanna said sternly. "And you will tell me all that is going on."

"I don't think **_I_** know." Riku replied wearily, but he allowed himself to be led away from the kitchen and into the living room where Yanna softly encouraged him to the couch. As he sat down he pulled her with him and they resumed closely the position they were in before Sora and the headache had arrived.

"Is Eva okay?" Riku asked needlessly. He knew Yanna wouldn't be there if she wasn't.

"I got her back to sleep," was the simple answer he got. "Now tell," she demanded in a gentle but firm manner as she ran her hands over his arms that hugged her around the middle.

"Sora wants me to come with him." He said instead. "I might be gone for a while." He added, his voice remorseful.

"Why? Stop avoiding my question." She pressed, rising above her usual demeanor. "It has something to do with that _rakshasa _you killed?"

Context told him what she meant although the term from her home that slipped into the sentence eluded him. "Yes. Cid and Sora say there are more of them and that they need my help. These things are endangering the Worlds."

"And I am sure that's true. What, then, is the problem?" Yanna's World was one saturated in lore, legends, and heroes. Her mind didn't question the concept that the world needed saving, although it was a little surprising that her Riku would be among those out to save it.

"I don't want Eva and you unprotected…I also don't know what exactly we're going up against. If I can judge them all just from one, I don't think I've encountered their kind before."

Yanna pecked his lips, "I'm sure that won't be a problem long."

Riku sighed, "Maybe." He suddenly took on a look of dubious amusement. "Why are you so calm about all of this. You seem very confident, almost chipper in your words." He was noticing her complete confidence in him.

"What do you mean?" She wasn't being coy, she was honestly confused.

Riku didn't feel like pursuing the matter so he dropped it with a smirk and a shake of his head. "I really don't want you isolated here while I'm gone. Would you mind staying on the mainland till I've looked into matters? You could stay with Kairi."

Yanna allowed the topic change. "Okay." She consented easily. She liked Kairi, and often noticed how out of place the other woman seemed to feel when left on her own. They would make lovely roommates.

"They want me to leave tomorrow," he commented remorsefully. He closed his eyes and rested his forehead to the top of her hair.

"Understandable. Where will you be going? Do you have any kind of guesses made ready?" She asked while working her way around so that the back of her head and shoulders were rested against his stomach.

"I'm going to see an old friend."

* * *

The next day wasn't as hectic as Riku feared it would be. Kairi was happy for the company, Sora was pepped and ready to go, and Cid looked like he was on his fourth cigarette.

The newly added Gummi hanger was empty except for the six of them and the morning air was still cool despite the island's normal humidity. None of the building's lights were on but none were needed due to the ample supply coming from the high placed windows that lined the walls. The hangger was on the south end of the main island, and even though it was a relatively new addition, the usually constant flow of traffic had done it's part to make it look like it had been around for decades.

"Don't know how long this will take…" Sora was saying, his voice echoing off the metallic walls.

Kairi looked a little upset, probably because her longtime boyfriend was off yet again. Riku sympathized with her, because like him she just wanted a bit of normality. Unfortunately, it didn't look like her heart's obsession was ready for that yet. Perhaps Yanna would talk with Kairi during her stay and help with her restlessness. If time permitted, he might just try to do the same with Sora.

Eva squirmed in his arms, demanding attention. Her blue eyes were bright and alertly starring up at him. With a warmth growing in his chest he smiled down at her and infectiously she returned him the favor, cheeks pouching out from behind the purple and white pacifier. Playfully, while waiting for Cid to finish up preparations, he made faces at the bundled infant greedily taking up his arms.

Eva's gurgling laughter was no longer inhibited as her pacifier dropped to her chest, dragging a trail of drool with it.

"Aww!" Kairi cooed in delight. Riku looked up from his antics and noticed he and his daughter were now the center of attention.

Yanna was studying him knowingly, Kairi's face was taught with repressed giggles and longing, while Sora and Cid traded childish smirks and winks.

Riku felt his cheeks redden from the sudden group interest in what he was doing. However, he simply smiled and hugged his child closer, "What?" He chuckled lightly, interrupting the brief silence that had fallen.

"Nothin'," Cid replied, still grinning toothily despite the ashing butt in his mouth. "Anyway, sorry to ruin your moment, **_Daddy_**, but it's time to go," the aging pilot said while coming to stand beside the other man. He wiped his hands on his blue button-up but that did little to clean them, resigned he used the cleaner back end of his hand to accomplish his goal. He rubbed the baby's head gently. It was a rare moment to see this side of the man and there was an unspoken understanding between him and the young father.

"Time to make things safe for little Eva again!" Sora said impatiently making his way over to the ship. He spun on his heels mid step and added, "And you too." If Riku hadn't quickly and subtly stepped in, he feared his friend might have actually forgotten to hug Kairi goodbye. It wasn't that didn't care, Riku was sure' on the contrary he was sure the brunette cared quite alot. So a quick urgent shifting of his aqua eyes had saved the day, or at least his friend. Which one he had done the bigger favor for was still up for debate.

As for himself, he embraced his wife and kissed her passionately and come away with empty arms as she took the blanketed bundle of wriggling energy.

Minutes later, they were off. Riku rested back into the seat and closed his eyes. They'd be warping so the trip would be ten minutes and twenty two seconds. He'd timed it once. This was a route both he and Sora had journeyed often.

"I wonder what the King and Yen Sid have found out about these things," Sora mused out loud. "You think it'll be just like old times?"

"I _hope_ not," Cid said from his seat in front of them. "I know it might not have seemed like I was involved as much as you two, but Radiant Garden had it pretty bad even a few years _after_ we reclaimed it."

Sora nodded, quick to show he understood. "Yeah, from what Leon told me, you guys had it rough."

"Did that thing look like any kind of Heartless to either of you?" Riku asked, disregarding the current track of the conversation.

Sora let out a dramatic whoosh of breath and rolled his eyes, "I've seen a _lot_ of heartless in my time." He kicked his legs over the red upholstered arm of his chair and sat long ways across it with a pondering look on his face.

Cid happened to look back, "Boy!" He barked, "that chair ain't meant to be sat in like that. Now act right before you break it." The pilot didn't get touchy often, but when it came to his ships, one didn't cross him. Sora corrected his posture and the older man turned back around.

Sora flushed at the reprimand and tried to shrug it off with a nervous laugh. "Um… yeah, anyway Riku, I guess the closest one I can think of to the one that got aboard our ship were the monkey Power Whirls from the Deep Jungle."

Riku thought about this but didn't think the comparison very accurate. "I don't know how plausible this might sound but...do you think we might be dealing with something new?"

"New like how?" Sora asked slightly confused.

"Well what does the definition of the word usually mean?" Riku asked sarcastically. Then with less of a bite, "Like neither Heartless or Nobody." He explained his musings further.

"Well it most certainly didn't look or behave like a nobody," Cid commented.

"I don't know, it kind of acted like all the other basic heartless." Sora said.

"But it didn't _look _like the others." Riku persisted.

"How would you tell?! There were _so_ many different kinds." He said rubbing his head at the memories. "And every world pretty much had its own variation."

Riku sighed and let his argument drop. They'd find out soon enough.

When the ship landed Mickey was already walking across the green pasture to greet them. Due to the condition of the place, Cid was forced to land the ship some ways away from the Castle. The mouse king looked tired but he presented them with a smile nonetheless. "Nice to see you again, Riku." He said while extending a hand to him.

"Same" He returned pleasantly. "So, tell me what ya know." He and his two companions followed him across the sunny landscape, headed for a small village. The castle could be seen glowing beyond the red roofed cottages.

"Well, they're certainly as bad as the things we fought in the past," the mouse began, "but this time it's not Darkness. Something's really wrong here, fellas. It's Light."

'_That makes sense!' _Riku thought to himself, a minute feeling of victory rising in his chest. He had been right, something _was_ different.

"Light?" Sora asked looking confused.

"It appears so." Came a deep voice from in front of them. Yen Sid had the door open for them as the four reached the stoop of the farthest white bricked abodes. The aged wizard seemed out of place with his imposing tower not in the scene, but still he maintained an air of authority.

The small company joined the elder man in this borrowed establishment and were greeted with a cheerful fire in the hearth and bright blue walls and too small furniture. Over the mantle was a portrait of a family of ducks, one of which Riku recognized as Sora's companion, Donald. So that's where they were.

"It seems there is yet another imbalance in the universe."

"And what are we going to do about it?" Cid asked gruffly. He pulled a toothpick out of his blue shirt pocket and chewed it idly while he waited to hear the answer.

Riku shared the pilot's impatience and shifted from foot to foot restlessly, anxious for action.

"We believe they can be dealt with in the same fashion as the Heartless," the solemn man replied coolly. He made no comment on the young aqua eyed man's eagerness, nor that of his companions. "Your previous battles should have you ready for this new enemy."

"Nephilim are what th-"

"Where are Sora's buddies?" Cid interrupted the brunette mid-retelling to ask about Donald and Goofy.

"They're at the castle. I'm about to join them." Mickey answered. As he spoke he summoned his keyblade. "I hope you fellas don't mind me askin' for some back up?" He asked cheerfully, knowing full well what the answer would be.

"I'd have to run back to _The Shera_ for my weapon." Cid nodded, kicking himself for leaving it in the first place.

"What's next after we reclaim your castle?" Riku asked. "Is your plan to do like before, just going from world to world?"

"Right now, yeah." Mickey replied although his face remained optimistic.

Riku hid his doubt. Something about that just didn't sit well with him. They'd done things that way twice and it was never really as easy as that simple concept.

* * *

"They just keep coming don't they!? And damn, if they ain't creepy! Not even nobodies looked like that!" Cid yelled, flinging one of the Nephilim away with his spear and impaling another in that same motion. Upon their death, the creatures exploded in a flare of light.

Riku didn't comment as he slew more of the animalistic monsters, ignoring their wide, vacant eyes and human faces as he attacked. The hallway was crowded with them, and the area that would normally be viewed as overly spacious was feeling rather claustrophobic. _'Slash, slash, guard. Jump!'_

He, Cid, and Mickey were barreling through hordes of the Nephilim on route to the chamber room. Sora had met up with Donald and Goofy and were doing the same, working from the opposite end of the massive building.

Riku did a sliding slash and while he was leaned forward felt a pressure on his back; Mickey had used him as a spring board to propel himself further into the melee. The mission was to get to the Cornerstone of Light and seal it. Yen Sid had determined that, given the nature of these creatures, they were being drawn to it.

"Almost there!" He heard his small companion yelling from up ahead. But Mickey was lost from sight in the field of burnt orange and gold furred fangs. The red carpet beneath them seemed alive like lava, for with every death, it shimmered in the remains.

From this limited view, Riku was inspired. Something in his memory rang and with new determination to clear his path he reached within himself, his hands working on automatic to fend off the Nephilim lunging at him. '_A piece of Xehanort will always be there_.' With one final fluid movement of his blade to make room, Riku lowered the _Road to Dawn_ and raised his free hand to level off a blast of darkness. From his fingers the cool power of that hidden part of himself burst forward, in long tendrils at first, then in a rushing wave of dark ebony and purple as far as his energy would stretch.

The effect of his Darkness on the things was similar to what one would expect from a Gravity spell. Their bodies flattened and a squeal went up as a vast number of them died.

"Hehe, nice work Riku!" the King called over his shoulder, not halting in his pace nor commenting on the sheer amount of darkness the young man hand managed to seemingly pull out of nowhere.

"Nifty trick," Cid said as he jogged to keep pace with the mouse king.

"Hn," was Riku's only response as he continued forward, following the black and red blur that was Mickey speeding around a corner.

When they reached the chamber room they found Sora and his companions already there. Despite the moment, the shaggy haired brunette spared the time to comment with a cocky smile, "What took you so long?"

"Shut it." Cid said, but the grin on his face gave him away.

"We had the long way," Riku gave forth a feeble excuse with a shrug.

"Mmhm," Sora nodded humoring him. "Anyway, we've already moved the platform, Your Majesty. It's all up to you now." Sora turned his attention to the back of the cavernous room where the stairs were located, beyond the many towering columns.

The king wasted no time and the others followed. "You sure it's right ta turn off the Cornerstone?" Goofy suddenly voiced a concern.

"For now, it's safer." Mickey said, hopping down the stairs two at a time. He paused a moment to look back at his trusty knight. "It's only temporary," he added.

A few seconds later and they were standing in front of the Cornerstone of Light, the massive stone that functioned as a fall back protection for this World. Riku had expected this place to be filled with the Nephilim, but luckily it was surprisingly vacant. Most likely guarded by heavy shield magic, he decided.

Mickey raised his keyblade at the glowing, reflective sphere without hesitation. A beam shot from his weapon and was met half way to its target by a glowing emblem of a keyhole. There was a flash and then the light from within the Cornerstone faded and was gone.

"Now what?" Sora asked, blindly feeling for one or more of his friends in the now palpable darkness. Why wasn't there secondary illumination down here anyway?

"So, where are we going first?" Donald asked before quacking in anger as one of his clumsy friends—there was no telling which—stepped on his foot.

"Well, first things first, we should get back to Yen Sid. He'll want to know if we've succeeded." Mickey replied, his footsteps already pattering in the darkness back in the direction they'd come from.

"You'd think he could just sense that or something." Cid said off handedly, his own footsteps hesitant as he tried not to confuse his path in the blackness. An idea struck him mid step and he pulled a matchbook from his blue jean pocket and lit one of the thin sticks to help him see his companions.

"I propose we split up." Riku spoke, coming into the small circle of light offered by Cid. Ahead he saw Sora's silhouette stiffen then whirl around to face him.

"What? Why?" He asked, waiting for the two other humans to reach him. Now at Sora's back, Mickey and his friends stopped too.

"I feel it will help things move faster." His mind made up he prepared to try something he hadn't attempted since their fight with Xemnas. Slowly, he raised his hand to open a dark portal.

"Riku…"

And just as before, when he'd reached for that cool energy within him, it came up willingly. The desired results came forth without struggle. "Don't worry about me. We'll cross paths again soon enough, I'm sure." And with a self satisfied grin, he entered the gate. He knew that if he had waited Sora would have fought to keep him from going solo.

"Ugh! He's always doing that!" Sora raised his voice in frustration. "Just like Riku, always a loner."

"Ah, he'll be fine." Goofy said, coming up and putting a reassuring hand on his younger friend's shoulder.

"Ah, ah! Shit!" Cid called out and dropped his flame as the stick had burnt up and bit at his flesh. The light was out before it hit the concrete, leaving them again in the dark.

Sora chuckled, "Here allow me." He told the pilot cheerfully, summoning a low fire spell between his outstretched palms.

"Show off," the older man grumbled. Why hadn't he done that earlier?! The others shared a laugh before turning and continuing towards the stairs.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Riku shook himself as he stepped out of the dark portal, as if by doing so he could physically rid himself of the dissipating aura. He blinked as he waited for his eyes to adjust to the early morning brightness of the world and then he began the relatively short walk to his destination. The houses were no longer in ruins, a sight that still surprised him no matter how many recent return visits he made to Radiant Garden. But then, that was only one small difference within the world these days. After the fall of King Ansem a new leader was sought after once reconstruction was finished. President of the Restoration Committee was quickly nominated president of the entire garden. He accepted the title reluctantly and only after Yuffie had threateningly proclaimed him "King Squall."

The newly added clock face gracing the renovated castle towered majestically over the tranquil settlement. As Riku peered up at the machine it proclaimed the hour in its musical chimes. "Eight in the morning…No wondering if Leon is up." He said to himself, more or less hoping he was correct. The time difference of the Worlds always threw him off, but he knew that the President was an early riser.

Riku continued on without hesitation, every so often waving to the few people that were wrapping up their morning chores. As he reached the castle, the doors gave way easily despite their size and on the other side he was surprised to find Yuffie in the entrance hall—surprised because she was cleaning. There were more tables and couches here than he recalled, and along the far wall was a row of empty but tidy cots.

"Hey!" She greeted energetically, seemingly peppy, but the dark circles under her eyes hinted otherwise.

Forgetting his previous endeavor Riku stopped the woman to ask, "Are you okay?" He gave her a once over and by the time their eyes met again her pretend cheerfulness was gone. "Things bad here too?"

She sighed dramatically, tossing a hand through her dark hair that she still wore short. Despite her demeanor she kept her humor, "Squall kept me up _all_ night." She winked then shook her head, "Nah, none of us have slept for at least a week now." She said slightly more serious this time, her shoulders sagging with fatigue.

"I'd say it has something to do with why I'm here." Riku confided. "Where's Leon?" He asked, deciding procrastination was to be avoided.

Yuffie held up her finger to say one minute, and it wasn't a long wait until Leon, Aerith and Tifa had joined him in the entrence hall. Aerith's long brown hair was tied back tightly in a high pony-tail and she looked down right disheveled. Tifa was about as perky as Leon, whose grim face looked as though it could silence thunder through sheer intimidation, but none of them seemed to be too worse for wear. It was clear that things had been busy for the Garden lately.

Using as few words as possible Riku explained what was going on as far as he had been able to understand. Then he listened patiently while the other man recounted his own strife. Radiant Garden had only recently been disturbed, it seemed. Sudden were the reports but nothing had happened that was beyond the control of the "Restoration Committee" _yet_.

When all the information had been exchanged Riku got to the point behind his visit. "Can I borrow a ship?" In the past he had simply used the Darkness, but still leery on how much energy he could put towards something he had avoided for the past half decade he decided to rely on modern conventions.

"Where are you heading?" Leon asked but nodded his head, allowing for the loan. Radiant Garden had been steadily climbing to the position of the most influential and wealthy World in the universe, it could easily spare a single Gummi to an old friend.

"My first thought was to go to the nearest few worlds around here, check their conditions. I was also hoping to gather some alliances along with the intelligence." If the Worlds knew about the threat without preamble this time around, then they would be able to organize themselves for a proper resistance and the work wouldn't fall singularly onto the keyblade masters.

"I would suggest you pay Stehen a visit. It's a very militant world and we—as well as Twilight Town—have been on loose negotiations with them for a few years now. The other Worlds I'm sure would be supportive if not in need of support—from what I hear now of our close neighbors at Disney." The tired looking brunette was already motioning Riku to follow as he headed off in the direction of the Gummi hanger. The women accompanied them.

"In the past," Aerith spoke up, she hadn't said anything beyond a kind greeting since entering the room, "it has always been one source that's caused everything else. I propose we start looking for the root of this. Fighting from world to world is only temporary."

"I know." Riku answered flatly. "All too well." But where was he to start? He had hoped that during his inspections and negotiations the source would gradually become revealed to him as had happened before.

"Too bad we can't just bring back some of the Darkness you and Sora destroyed." Yuffie laughed, "I mean, come on, Universe, cut us some slack."

Riku nodded, "No kidding."

* * *

The air was an autumn cool and the light browns and greens of the foreground were not what he had been expecting. Stehen, Leon and the others had briefed him on it and this did not match up with the mental image he had formed. 'I must be on the human side,' he decided.

Unlike most Worlds, this one was surprisingly vast and accommodated more than one walk of life. The main military forces—his main motivation for coming here first—were most reputed among the Elven tribes. 'But,' Riku thought hopefully as he disembarked from his borrowed transportation, 'the humans aren't without reputation.' He looked at the citizens milling around the roads and wondered what hidden potential this land might hold.

Green trees and brick lodges intermingled along the cobbled roads and a wide three story palace was visible on the crest of a hill beyond the buildings. It lacked the imposing towers and decorative spires he was used to, but he knew to head for it. There he would find the ruler of this kingdom, one Gyo Kostellen and from there he could begin.

* * *

Damien sighed heavily as he made his way through the crowded streets. It was early morning but already it seemed that the entire kingdom was up and in motion. People gathered in front of the open air venders ready to buy and socialize.

Many of the subjects waved at him as he passed, some even gave him acknowledging bows, but Damien felt he had no time for such things. He was on his way to see his father; matters were pressing of late and Lord Gyo had called a council.

As it stood, he was already overdue and honestly he wasn't in the mood to be scolded—he picked up his pace. He hadn't even been able to shave since yesterday! He rubbed the back side of his hand against the dark stubble under his chin; he was hungry too. Knowingly, the crowds parted for him and in the back of his mind he began to think he might not be too tardy.

"Hey, Damien! You too?" A young voice perked above the general bustle of people and without slowing the man began to scan the street for its owner. It belonged to his half-elf subordinate, Ian; number V of the Elite guards of the city. He swiftly caught sight of the platinum sheen that denoted Ian's hair weeving through the multitude of bodies in the distance. So the youngest was late as well. 'Not surprising', the heir apparent thought as he paused to let Ian catch up to him.

"Your dad's going to get a temper isn't he?" The blonde asked cheerfully once he was beside his leader, apparently not caring if his words proved correct or not.

"Yep. Wouldn't doubt it." The older male said placidly, blowing his onyx bangs out of his eyes and hurriedly picking up his steps again.

"Well, at least I'm with you. Maybe I'll get a special pardon, one advantage of you being the king's son." Ian said brightly as they closed in on their destination.

"Oh no you don't! You weren't really with me, therefore, your excuse is void."

"Excuse me," an unfamiliar voice called for their attention. "did you say you're the king's son?" The silver hair individual implored with a respectful bow, walking over to them from where he had been standing at a shop entrance talking. "This is my first time on this world, I've just come here from Radiant Garden on good faith of this place's credentials. I need an audience with the king as quickly as possible. Can I ask you to pull strings for me, your highness? It's urgent."

Damien and Ian had stopped their sprint and looked the foreigner over. "I'm sorry stranger. Our systems don't work like that."

The man nodded, "No, I thought not. Has anything strange been happening here? Any deaths caused by wild creatures? Disappearances? Entire settlements coming under siege?"

"Those are some pretty diverse scenarios." Ian commented, looking the unknown man over with suspicion in his blue eyes.

"The king has called a counsel… for you saying you just arrived here, you're questions mark a pretty accurate summary of our outlying lands. Are you armed? I must ask you relinquish any weapons you may have on you to me and my fellow guard. We will allow you to accompany us. Whether or not you'll get in to see the king is a different story." Damien said, making a quick call. He had always had need to think on his feet, and this was one of those moments he had to make a quick judge of personality and urgency.

"There haven't been any large scale attacks, have they?" Ian questioned uncertainly, looking back to his dark haired prince, as if the other man might know something he didn't.

"Maybe not yet, but if your problems are the problems of some of the other places I've seen, it could come to that," the question was answered. "My name is Riku Wakaouji. Sorry for not introducing myself. I do not have a weapon on my person."

"Ian Steeling." The fair haired youth said with an extended palm. If Damien was going to trust him, he thought he would go ahead and make nice.

"Damien Kostellen." He gave Riku a slightly skeptical look, "You say you have no weapon yet you come here with tidings of possible war?"

"I'll explain, but it's going to be asking you for a great deal of trust and I didn't want to ask that much yet with us having just met." With that, Riku held out his hand and summoned his keyblade. "See, I wasn't technically lying."

Damien nodded and took the blade, "If you don't mind…" The bearded man then muttered a few words in a different language and ran his hand over the face of the odd-shaped sword. The blade glowed strangely and then Damien hooked it to his belt. "We're not that backwards my friend. I've just bound your weapon, it cannot be dismissed or summoned to your hand until I release the spell."

Riku's cheeks blushed ever so slightly in embarrassment. "Ah. Okay, that works…Most Worlds, uh, you know, don't normally accept such magic easily."

"You learn as you go, I suppose," Ian told him with a shrug and tugged on Riku's light blue sleeve before taking off at a run.

"We're late," Damien explained for his companion with a smile and motioned the visitor to follow, "Hope you're a fast runner. In case you fall behind or lose sight of us, we're heading for t-"

"The palace overlooking the summit?" Riku said knowingly with a smile. He didn't mind the exercise, and this was certainly an interesting way to start out a day.

"Yep." And with that the race was on. Ian was hardly in sight when he and Damien took off but it wasn't long till the gap between him and the other two men began to close. Yet, the younger male's fluid limbs seemed to carry him far faster than the competition, the elvish blood in him lending its legacy. Riku was easily able to hold his own against the prince and even began to pass him, inch by inch as they ran past startled bystanders and up the steepening street.

When they at last reached the palace doors the three of them were out of breath, Ian—the champion—least of all, but even so, he too was lightly sweating. The two sentinels posted outside the large entrance looked at them with amusement in their eyes, knowing glances falling to the two _Elite_. With a nod and wave of his hand Damien had them in and heading to the conference chamber.

"Now," the raven haired man said as they made their way through the cream white halls, "I'm going to have to ask you to wait outside while I make apologies to my father for not being here on time. I might just use you as our excuse if he decides he isn't going to let us off easy."

Riku smiled, that was fine with him. If they did use him as an excuse he might get seen sooner. But, he was also fine with having to wait outside, it would give him time to gather his thoughts and figure out just what it was he wanted to ask of the old monarch. Damien halted him outside a double door room and knocked for his and his companion's entrance. The doors closed behind them and Riku exhaled patiently. He let his eyes scan the walls vacantly, their pearl color was offset periodically with tapestries predominantly of reds and blues. They portrayed foreign crests and warrior visages. He let the richly weaved pictures distract him while he mapped out his explanations.

Half an hour passed before he was summoned to enter. By that point he had decided on all that he might have to say. "Introduce yourself, traveler," an aged looking man spoke with authority from the head of a long table. His thick clothes didn't hide his frail looking frame but there was a sense of majesty in him yet. His greying brow was set with a gold circlet and a dark blue stone that denoted his status.

"Riku Wakaouji, sire." He said with a deep bow. When he rose up he scanned quickly and discreetly the faces of all the others present. Aside from the king and the two guards he had met previously, the room contained only five other people.

"As you probably know, I am Gyo Kostellen. You have already met my son and the youngest of our _Elite_, Ian-ah huh huh." The old monarch said in a roundabout manner before breaking into a cough. "You are here from Radiant Garden? Why weren't any of the usual diplomats sent?" He asked after he was able to catch his breath.

"I am not _from_ Radiant Garden, I was passing through. Squall Leonheart himself recommended I come here, and if you will hear my tale, you'll soon know why." Lord Gyo nodded and Riku began. From the beginning, he recounted his involvement in the Darkness Wars to build up credibility and to make way for bringing them up to date. He was able to slip in some of his own hypothesis as to how the elements were able to be so skewed. He also recounted the origin of that particular conflict, having to pause often for questions and clarification. There was an intermission at three in the afternoon for the king to be given his medication and refreshments were brought in for all others present.

Six years ago, the man explained, that he and his close friends fought directly in the Darkness and he feared that their efforts may have been a little too reckless. "We set out to rid the worlds of Heartless. But, we did too well of a job. The balance has shifted. The wizard Yen Sid has confirmed this; I'm not sure if you know exactly who he is, but he is very reputable in this matter."

"So, once again this is a battle over elements, not people?" Lord Gyo asked dubiously. "In years past many wars have been waged against unfathomable creatures and abstract beings but never had the battles greatly affected our—huh uh—own lives. The land we live on is no paradise but it has been decades since the last legitimate war corrupted the soil," he said tiredly. The man put an embroidered handkerchief to his bearded mouth and gave a hearty cough then continued, "We have the troops but… will they be an appropriate opponent to this new threat?"

Riku shook his head, "I do not know for sure, Your Majesty. I would only have you warned and stand ready. The beings I have thus far fought against can be killed with ordinary weapons, though, enchanted ones work better—which is why the keyblades have been so effective in the past. I've come to you now namely to make allies. To ask, if I needed it, that I could call upon you and your armies to fight."

"Did you ever need this in the past?" A red-headed girl two seats down from the king asked him. Her light grey eyes were sizing him up.

"Not six years ago. And the tasks performed were tedious. But, then, six years ago—like I said—was just the end of it. The Darkness Wars were a massive event. I'd rather not go about things in the same manner. The sooner we can stop things this time, the less lives will be lost and perhaps we can prevent these events from happening _again_. I've heard the third try is the charm." Riku half-smiled as he waited for the response to his request.

The old king sighed. "Granted," he said. "I would have you wait here three days. There are more in-depth things to speak of, and by that time we will have contacted our elven neighbors. They'll need to hear all this too-uh hum." He smiled. "As much as my pride would like me not to admit it, their military is a bit superior to my own, so it's also in your interest as well." Riku bowed respectfully. "And, it will give us time to look into your background. We need to make sure you're the real deal." Gyo chuckled and winked at the repressed indignity that momentarily sparked through Riku's stance. "Meanwhile, allow my trusted advisers and guards to introduce themselves to you."

In unison all the table's occupants stood up in a formal manner. "Damien Kostellen, leader of the _Elite Guards_ and heir to the throne." The man said with a nod.

A crisp black haired woman with a serious posture introduced herself next, " I am General Serra Donavan."

To the right of Damien a rugged looking brunette man with a hip-length braid smiled with a nod, "Tjaldin Dering. Number two of the _Elite_ and no other fancy titles for me."

Next was the red head who'd spoken earlier, she was the shortest of the group but held herself proudly, "Kirsten Rost, number three."

"Lyra Athol, number four." The only other female present spoke as she nondescriptly pushed a strand of dark blue hair behind her ear and waited for the last of their party to speak.

"And for formality's sake, Ian Steeling, number five." The thin blonde said with a smile.

Then the man beside the king took a step forward, "Ethan Gregory, personal assistant to His Majesty." He said with a bow. Riku found it strange that the assistant of the king would look just about older than he was. This elderly gentleman was the last that needed to speak and with that the king himself stood. The monarch was able to rise from his chair without assistance and he held himself up by supporting his frame on the long table in front of him.

"I hear by declare this meeting over," Gyo announced. "Ethan here will show you to the guest wing, Mr. Wakaouji. Please, do not be perturbed if I should summon you again sometime later in the evening or tomorrow, as I said, there are still some details that need going over."

Riku nodded and then followed Ethan out as the small gathering milled into the hallway except for General Donavan who stayed behind with the king. "Have you eaten?" The man named Tjaldin asked politely as he cupped a hand on Riku's shoulder, "If not, after Ethan shows you to your room and all that, meet back at the front entrance in about an hour, we're all going into town to eat."

Riku smiled, "Thanks. I might take you up on that." He looked to the others, "If that's okay with the rest of you."

"We don't care," Lyra said with a light grin. "We wouldn't be very good hosts if it were otherwise." Her green eyes were trusting and friendly as she spoke.

Riku kept his smile, he really liked this place and regretted that he hadn't visited it before and on less pressing errands. Stehen seemed to have a very close and familiar atmosphere. Total strangers were inviting him to an informal outing, just for the sake of being welcoming—and perhaps to gain some off-world gossip, he admitted. Ethan waved the group off then directed Riku to the reserved guest suits. "This will be your room, sir." The grey haired man said kindly, opening the door and showing him around in a grandfatherly fashion. After the short tour, before the older fellow left, he turned to Riku with a smile, "Now, if you go out with those young show-offs, don't you let them talk you into trouble." He winked, "Especially look out for Tjaldin and Ian. They have a mean streak a mile long."

"Heh, thanks for the advice."

"You think I'm kidding." The old man chuckled. "Well, I assume everything here is to your liking. I'll be going now." And with that Riku was left to his own devices. He recalled the way they had come and felt that he could manage to get back to the palace's front entrance without trouble when the time came.

He fell back onto the flush, tan comforter and looked up at the pearl colored canopy. The walls were a lavish maroon and the carpets matched the bedding, with tasteful rosewood furnishings. "Royalty seem to know how to always be extravagant." The charm to this world extended to its upper class it seemed too, because unlike some royalty he had met with, Stehen's, so far, seemed well in touch with reality. Riku folded his hands behind his head and breathed deep the smell of the sandalwood scented air. It was nice, but it wasn't home.

His mind drifted to Yanna and Eva. Already he missed them and technically he'd only been gone a day. He turned to the picture glass window to his left, where the brilliant orange and purple of the sunset shown through. The meeting had taken all afternoon. It felt like longer that he'd been away from home.

* * *

"And this is my wife, Lynn." Damien said motioning to the brown haired woman on his arm. "She's Lyra's older sister." The woman was an inch taller than her sister and wore a modest red dress.

The young green eyed woman bowed with a smile, "A pleasure." She said to Riku as they walked down the winding path back to the market place. The road was marked with lanterns newly lit and the stars were just making themselves known above them. The weather promised to be pleasant, and the night was full of potential.

The seven of them were hardly the only ones out, Stehen definitely had a nightlife. "Hope you brought your appetite." Kirsten said with a grin, "We're going to a wonderful restaurant, _das Gasthaus-Himmel_." The petite soldier had her short red hair brushed back with a clip and had changed into a pair of tan slacks and a yellow shirt.

"Yum?" Was Riku's unsure response. He was walking in the center of the group as they navigated the busy streets and talked above the clammor of the city.

"Yes, yum." Lyra answered with a grin. Her shoulder length blue hair was braided childishly in pigtails and she looked like a teenager in her sleeveless green tank-top and blue jeans. If it weren't for their eyes, no one would assume she and Lynn were siblings.

From the way the _Elite_ were all acting, this was either a commonly looked forward event or a rare treat that they managed for themselves every once in a while. The off-worlder couldn't help but to share in the good spirits of his new companions. Oncoming war or no, his three days here he now intended to spend in an upbeat mood. This might be his last chance for respite, he realized. The troubles he and Sora faced all that time ago sure didn't offer opportunities like this for him.

"Good evening, Erica!" Tjaldin greeted as the party came to stand in front of an open air patio, sectioned off with a wooden low posted fenced. When the girl didn't respond and continued to speak with the man at the table she was waiting, Tjaldin walked up and teasingly pulled at her messy brown pony-tail. "I said, good evening." He said with a purr as she careened her head back to up look at him.

The young woman's eyes alighted with a smile as she realized who it was in the dark orange shirt behind her, and she spun around to greet him, giving a polite "one moment" to her current responsibility. She gave the tall man a kiss on the cheek playfully, avoiding his mustache and having to stand on her tiptoes to reach his face. "Hi guys! It's been a while since you've _all_ come by. And you brought a new friend. I've never seen you before, stranger." The teen said with an outstretched hand to Riku who accepted it respectfully.

A cough to the right indicated a customer's impatience and Erica sighed with a roll of her hazel eyes. "Alright, go on inside and Amber will find you a table, hopefully you'll be in my section tonight." She said before turning back to the man she was speaking with earlier.

The group weaved between the outdoor tables to the building further back. As soon as he entered Riku's mouth began to water and he heard as his stomach growled a little. The delicious smells of meats and gravy off set by the underlying sent of a woodchip fire met his eager senses. This outing couldn't have been better timed, he decided. He wondered what would be best to order…

There was a blonde inside standing behind a counter stacked with menus. She smiled when she caught sight of them and giggled when Ian winked at her. She quickly gathered up an assortment of silverware and menus, and came around to greet them. "Evening!" She said brightly, stealing a hug from one of her favorite costumers—Tjaldin.

Riku chuckled at this, apparently he was in the company of quite the ladies' man. "It's sickening isn't it?" Damien whispered light heartedly to Riku as they were lead back out doors to large table by the short girl who seemed an inch smaller than Kirsten.

Riku laughed. 'Ah, if only I could have these kinds of nights more often. Or if Yanna were here, she never gets to go out much…' The young girl placed the menus and the silverware and pulled out a notepad from her apron.

"We're a little short handed tonight, so I'll apologize now." She said with a blush. "What can I start you off with to drink, then? Mrs. Kostellen?" She turned to Damien's wife first and quickly fumbled for her pen.

"Tea will be fine." Lynn answered as she slid her chair down a bit to give her sister more room to scoot up to the table.

"Kirsty?"

"Tea as well." The red head replied.

"Lord Damien?"

"Your finest logger." He said with a smile. He straitened out his collared black shirt and took his seat, everyone else following his lead.

"The same," Tjaldin cut in before she could ask.

"Me too!" Ian said hurriedly, his blue eyes rolling incredulously at the chuckle he got from Tjaldin.

"Think you can hold it this time?" The tall braided haired man teased his young friend.

"Just because you can drink, doesn't mean you should." Lyra cut in with a laugh.

Riku's eyes widened and he did a double take at the boy in white and black at the end of the table. "How old is he?" He asked Damien across from him.

"Eighteen. He has set a record you know, the youngest ever to qualify and actually make it into the _Elite_." The black haired man answered, rubbing three fingers across his chin and smoothing out his short trimmed beard, he had decided to keep it.

"Eighteen? And he's allowed to drink?!" Riku asked surprised.

"Since the year before last. I take it the minimum is older from where you're from?" Tjaldin observed from beside him, flicking his braid behind his shoulder.

Riku nodded, "Mmhm, just a bit." He understated. "I'll just have water, thank you." He said when the waiter looked at him for his order.

"Are you sure? If you don't want anything strong, I can still suggest you something with more taste." Damien offered his guest.

"No, water will be fine. I'm in the mood for it."

"Milk please." Lyra said next, then shrugged at the looks she got. "I can't just be craving something too?"

"Alright, someone—probably me—will be right out with your drinks." The girl said and skipped off.

"Thanks, Amber!" Ian called after her.

"And here we have the aspiring ladies' man." Damien said to Riku, with his hand up to the side of his face, as if that would exclude the youth from hearing him.

There was a group laugh at that, then Lyra turned to the foreigner, "So, what's your home like?" She asked, flipping her two braids behind her shoulders. Making conversation while they waited would help distract them from how long it would take for their food to actually get there.

"Warm. I live on an island and the climate is tropical. There aren't any big cities on the larger islands, but we aren't uncivilized. There's that small community feeling, like what you guys seem to have here. Where everybody seems to know everybody." He said, generalizing some things. "My wife and I have our own private island a little bit away from the mainland."

"You're married?" Ian interrupted, surprise coloring his voice.

Riku held up his wedding band, a thing that had gone unnoticed till he'd pointed it out. "Yep. Proud husband and father."

"Aww! You're a daddy, that's so cute." Lyra cooed and Riku blushed.

"So, how do you like what we have to offer so far? This being your first time here and all." Tjaldin asked, jumping in and saving Riku from being ambushed by girly intrigue.

"It's nice. I travel a lot and I must say, I'm impressed. Now, the only way I'll be able to make a proper assessment is after I've eaten." He said with a smile.

"Then prepare to make us your top favorite!" Ian boasted from down the table.

"I don't know, I love the spices of an Agrabah cuisine." Riku said challengingly.

"Agrabah?" Kirsten spoke up curiously from beside Tjaldin.

"Yea-" Riku was cut short as the brown haired young woman from before walked up to the table with their drinks. The glasses wobbled precariously, threatening to topple but the girl managed to get the tray onto the table surface in time.

"Okay, now who had what?" She greeted with a smile, hand clasping the cup closest to her.

"I think I ordered the tall brunette…" Tjaldin commented, acting as if he were thinking.

Kirsten jabbed him with her elbow but the waitress simply smiled. "I bet I know where at least one of these goes," she said sliding down a logger to him. "Who had the milk?"

"Me." Lyra answered, reaching out and taking the tall glass.

"And water?" She asked, looking confused. Riku held out his hand and she smiled. "Ah! I never got your name, stranger." She said as she passed him down his drink.

"Riku. Nice to meet you Ms. Erica." He said, recalling the girl's name from earlier.

"Same! Now, the other two loggers go to the men, I suppose and that'll leave you two with the tea…" She sorted out the glasses and passed them down then pulled out a notepad similar to the one her friend had but this one was far more disheveled looking. "What can I do ya'll for?"

"I'll have the fried steak and gravy!" Lyra interjected, "With a side of potatoes."

"And how would you like your potatoes _this_ time?" Erica asked while writing down the order.

"Mashed. You should order that, Riku. You want an awesome meal…" The girl said, raising and lowering her eyebrows in a conspiratorial manner.

"No, if he wants a native meal that will show him the best we have to offer he should try the smoked sausage and onions." Ian commented.

"Or maybe you should give us another minute to decide." Damien said, kindly waving off the waitress. "Now, take your time and you can look at the menu, that's what it's here for." And with that he picked up his own, "I might try something new tonight myself."

Amber approached the table with a basket of hot bread and a saucer of butter. "Appetizer!" She said, putting the buns in front of them on the table.

"Are you and Erica the only ones working tonight?" Damien asked the little blond.

"Yeah, Katryn called in sick." She said with a shrug and turned to tend to another table.

"Well, I don't mind, at least we get the cute waitress." Ian said as he reached for a roll.

"You're really awkward at this, kid." Tjaldin commented as the blonde walked out of ear shot, giggling to herself. "What you should have said was something along the lines of, 'these buns aren't the only one's I'd like to get my hands on.'"

"No, he shouldn't." Kirsten said in exasperation, rolling her grey eyes and slapping the man on the arm lightly.

"So… tell me about yourselves?" Riku asked as he scanned over his menu. "What areas do you specialize in and so on?"

"Well, Tjaldin here is a marksmen, one of the best Stehen has to offer. I prefer magic these days, but specialize in lances and sword mastery." Damien answered, taking the conversation happily.

"My greatest strength is speed and agility. I prefer close combat and knives and daggers, they're easiest to maneuver." Ian said proudly from down the table.

"I'm handy with long reach blades, axes are fun for me," the red head beside Tjaldin spoke next. She smiled at Riku's approving and surprised look at her answer.

"Lynn is a nurse." Tjaldin said, "and Lyra can raise the dead," he joked, covering the last two of the group without waiting for them to do it themselves.

"Wait, what?" Riku asked momentarily caught off guard. His eyes left his menu and caught the brown eyes of the gunner a seat away from him.

The girl in question sighed and shook her head with a smile, "When I was younger, Mr. Gregory—the king's aid, who is like a grandfather to Lynn and me—went missing after the caravan he was traveling with was attacked by savage animals. No one ever found the bodies that disappeared from the scene. But one day I was playing in the garden after Lynn and I had gotten into a fight and was feeling really glum. Out of the hedges walks Ethan! All in a daze and muttering how he could of sworn he was dead. I ran to hug him and asked him what he was doing in my backyard and he said, 'I heard your singing child, how could I not follow it?'

"And of course, Tjaldin refuses to admit the sentimental values of the story and insists on making something stupid out of it. So now, I'm the one who can raise the dead." Lyra said with a shrug. She didn't mind retelling the story but she really did wish her comrade didn't trivialize it so much.

"Ah." Riku responded, "You sure are some interesting people." He said. Something about that tale stuck him strange, though. Could it be there was something to Tjaldin's claim? "How old were you when this happened?"

"Twelve." Lynn answered for her sister, whose mouth was now full with a buttered roll.

'Eight years ago. Hmm, when Heartless take a person's heart to kill them, the body disappears. That would account for not finding the victims, not even the most determined wolf could get rid of all evidence… untamed, raw magic is most easily tapped into under great emotion… And she said he said something about singing, vocal commands, even just gibberish can amount to the most basic form of spell casting…' Yuffie's joking voice floated back to him, _Too bad we can't just bring back some of the Darkness you and Sora destroyed._

"So, what do you think?" Damien asked him. The silver haired man looked up, his aqua eyes taking a moment to refocus.

"Um, I guess I'll try the _sauerbraten." _

* * *

The food had been great. He had enjoyed the company of this strange military unit, the easy banter they passed between themselves and tried to include him in, along with the joy of normality. The good mood he had resolved to hold onto was still there but pressing suspicions began to weigh down upon it. After they had eaten, the group tipped their two bubbly waitresses—Ian stole a kiss from the little blonde after Tjaldin's prodding— paid, and then they made their way back up to the palace.

"Something not setting well with you?" Damien asked quietly and with a small grin as he and Lynn fell back from the group to walk with Riku. The prince at first figured it might be the meal coming back with a vengeance. The man's steel hued eyes observed his guest soberly as he realized something was troubling the off-world traveler.

Riku shook his head, "It's nothing. I'm just reflecting." He replied absently. "Actually, do you think I could talk to you one on one later on tonight?" He asked, changing his mind suddenly.

Damien cast a quick glance to his wife before replying, "Sure." He wondered if it had to do with the upcoming conflicts.

The guards split up after reaching the palace, each going off to their own private quarters except for Damien who followed Riku politely. The dark headed man was slightly uncomfortable that the trip to the guest room passed entirely in silence. Yet, he was partially okay with this as well, as it allowed him to focus on his own thoughts.

"What would you say if I told you I thought I knew a way to win us allies who hold elemental strength in Darkness? That they might help to offset his imbalance of Light?" Riku asked him once they were behind closed doors.

"I would ask why you thought this information a private matter." Damien said seriously, hardening his gaze slightly at the leaner man.

"Do you know any more details to the story Lyra recounted tonight?" Riku asked instead.

"No more than what you heard for yourself just earlier." He answered, confusion passing across his face.

"Do you think—knowing all that you do now—that Ethan's party could have been attacked by Heartless?"

"Yes, I find it entirely likely. Two years after the fact, that was the unofficial conclusion of the mystery. For commoner's sake it went in the books as animal attack. Now please, get to your point."

"You know that those attacked by Heartless often become Nobodies, correct?"

"Yes, yes."

"What if Tjaldin is onto something with his jest?" Riku prodded, still standing although Damien had begun to pace.

"I would say it sounded too improbable to go off of." The other man stated, shaking his head. His mind was racing as he tried to conclude what Riku was getting at before the other man essentially came out and said it.

"For the sake of a hope, an extra gain for our cause, would you be willing to try something?" The foreginer caught and held the other man's gaze and a minute passed as a battle was waged between grey and turquoise.

At last Damien relented, "What, exactly, do you have in mind?"

"I think Lyra might possess a certain magic, time related or maybe elemental, that can bring back Nobodies." He paused to allow for a rebuttal but Damien remained silent. "Obviously, she isn't aware of this, and it's such an obscure sounding talent, how could anyone guess it? Most magic is triggered by strong emotion, I've witnessed this with my friend Sora, for example. That would explain why Mr. Gregory appeared when she was upset and fighting with her sister."

"Your point? Are there Nobodies that you are wanting to see if she can bring back? Perhaps that roughish Organization XIII I've heard about?" He asked skeptically and not without sarcasm.

"Exactly." Riku answered simply, then waited to be called crazy.

Damien looked at the man as if he were contagious with something. "A group of deviants?!" He asked incredulously. "Let's presume you're right about the possibility of Lyra, we'll go so far as to say she was able to summon them back from oblivion. Why do you suppose they would help us?"

"That's part of the gamble," Riku admitted soberly. "My current optimism is to work with the principle of 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend.' Surely they'd be equally jeopardized by this new and dangerous over-concentration of Light just the same as everyone else. If anything, maybe they'd be grateful enough that we brought them back that they would find it in their nonexistent hearts to do us the favor of an alliance." This last part it was clear he was joking about but Damien was shaking his head anyway.

However, his next words were, "I don't want to needlessly endanger Lyra. She _is_ my sister-in-law. If, _if_ I were to consent to this foolhardy idea, what would you guess her chances of survival stood as being?"

Riku shrugged, his battle hardened personality coming to surface, "Fifty, fifty." He answered, and then, "But she's of the top rank in your military, that should give you some hope and possibly raise the odds to sixty, forty." He sighed, knowing that didn't sound very promising.

Damien's face grew grim and he stopped his pacing and flopped down onto the bed, cupping his chin in his hand in contemplation. "I'm not much of a gambler, Riku. Nor am I a man of percents and statistics." He spoke heavily. There was a long pause. "Would she have to go off-world for this?"

Riku nodded, "That's where the danger comes from. And she couldn't know what she was intended to do. With this being an undeveloped magic, the easiest way for her to reach it—although it might seem like the hardest—is for her to be under emotional stress." He said, coming to stand directly in front of the rugged looking man. "I would only ask for ten days."

"Ten days!? That she'd be gone? That something could happen to kill her?" He looked up at the slender man in slight indignation.

"I wouldn't dare ask for more but if we go too few days she might not have anything done…" Riku defended. "Ten days would be long enough to know if I'm full of crap or not. I admit still that this is no more than suspicion and theory. Which is also why I won't ask for a longer time frame."

Damien adverted his eyes to the floor and for the longest time he said nothing. Riku dared not break the silence; he would let him think. Finally, Damien stood up. "We're going to have to set her up." He spoke quietly. "She may never forgive me for this. And all for speculation!" He shook his head and walked over to the door. With his hand on the knob he turned back to Riku—who had not moved from his spot beside the bed. "If she could pull this off, and for the sake of hope, this Organization wouldn't oppose helping us… how valuable do you see this operation being in the long run?"

"If I didn't think it held a great deal of potential, I would never have brought it up."

* * *

**_We haven't died...It's called Senior year. Here's the update we've had on our minds for months. Thanks to Dusk who wrote this chapter! _**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Lyra had yet to move when Saix entered the room, the linens and mattress supported on his shoulder. The door had not even been shut and he was slightly surprised to find the girl immobile in the chair near the desk. She was acting as if she had not noticed his presence. He took a tentative step, prepared for her to suddenly realize he was there. He expected her to startle, but she did nothing.

He paused then. Following the angle of her head he concluded that she was staring with determined intent out the window. The lights of the brightly lit city registered in the room with clarity, alighting her face and making her trepidation more palpable.

He reached his mind out, his power coming to the surface as he scanned her aura and felt the emotions she let off. This attribute had not been lessened in anyway upon the eve of his first 'death'. The power so familiar to his people continued to grow within him. He weighed his options.

Her face was scrunched up in some pondering expression, but Saix felt the sorrow, agitation, and impatience she was experiencing. Whatever was currently troubling her, whether it be the memory of her travel here or the reality that she was now faced with, it was none of his concern nor business, he decided, so he offered no words. He was vaguely surprised she was being so silent, it was nothing at all like the behavior she was displaying just a few hours ago. He knew she was aware of him.

He shrugged it off as fatigue and hefted his load once again to the bed and placed the mattress down. Still holding the blankets in his hands he turned to Lyra who was now watching him. He could see the weariness in her composure, but she stood up.

"Sorry, you need some help? You don't have to do everything for me, I-"

Saix knew basically what was going to come out of her mouth so he interrupted her, albeit politely. He nodded. "You can hold these blankets while I make your bed presentable."

Technically he didn't need her aid, he was more than capable of the task on his own, but he could tell she could use hearing the request. She needed to feel useful.

Once the bed was made, Saix stepped back, but Lyra stared at the neat sheets blankly for a moment. She sighed slightly and shifted to stare at him. Saix knew she had something to ask him. He said nothing, however, and opted to instead assess the sheets as if he was evaluating his work. Their interaction was stiff at best as he waited for her to begin.

"Saix, I have a question."

Not knowing what to expect he took a seat in the desk chair and gestured for her to sit on the bed. "Alright, ask."

She removed her questioning gaze from him as she positioned herself atop the bed. Her hesitation to actually speak told Saix what she didn't verbally express. He felt her nervousness. He leaned forward a little to indicate his disposition and finally the girl conceded.

"Do you and the others have souls?"

Saix rose a brow delicately and a bemused smile settled on his lips. "Souls?"

Lyra nodded, her hands fidgeting in her lap. Saix leaned back and pondered a moment. He supposed he could answer that question. "Yes, we possess souls."

Lyra seemed to relax a little after that, but she was still apparently troubled by something. Saix's eyes drooped in dissatisfaction. "There's something else bothering you. What is it?" There really wasn't a reason he was promoting further conversation, but there was a certain lack of anything else to do.

She worked her way into laying down on the bed. "You're missing something, right?" She asked as she stretched out, "…You all died, and I know..." Saix watched her yawn after that statement. Her energy was depleting and even as she had been speaking she had to pause to shake her dimming mind awake again. Her eyes were heavy-lidded and he shook his head.

"Tomorrow would be a better time to answer. You're fighting to stay awake as it is. Go to sleep and I will tell you an answer tomorrow if I deem it worth the effort. Now it's really no concern of yours what we were doing before our deaths. It is the past and it means nothing to the future."

Lyra nodded absentmindedly and Saix knew she had caught little of what he had said or so he thought. "The past means everything. No, it doesn't always shape the future, but it has some impact…Without a past…you would make the same mistakes over again…You would…well…" She paused to ordered her hazy thoughts. Saix calmly watched her frame rise and fall with her breath for a moment before coming to the conclusion that she was taking longer than normal to continue. Her breath was steady, and he felt the serenity of slumber emanating from her.

He smirked ruefully and stood up. He took a glance at her form as he walked from the room and shut the door. That girl was something else. He'd never met anyone who had actually talked _themselves_ to sleep.

Saix walked the short distance to the other side of the hall to his lone door. He realized that he had not yet seen the state of his room. He slumped in his stride. If it was as dusty and reeking of mildew as the others he was in for a long night of cleaning. He would not acquiesce to sleep in a filthy room and that was that.

* * *

After Lexaeus and Axel had finished unpacking the supplies they'd brought back the kitchen was quickly swamped and then abandoned. Demyx had stayed behind to eat in there in hopes of avoiding being asked to do more chores. Marluxia had wondered in some minutes later to find something to eat and being bored decided to linger.

"And what, you believe we just sprouted into existence again? There was nothing calling us to do it? We just woke up again?" Demyx heatedly argued with the rosy-locked man across the table from him. The conversation, like it tended to do when it was juat the two of them talking, had already become a heated debate about life. He dipped his spoon into his lukewarm soup and brought it back to his mouth, challenging Marluxia all the while with his stare.

The other man rolled his eyes, "Something had to have happened to bring us back, but to say it was all a plan by your _God_? You're saying he was a force in awaking us? Well, _Edward_ where is he? I want to thank him."

Demyx snorted. He pointed his spoon at Marluxia, "He's watching right now, I can just imagine that he's not very amused by your sarcasm. You don't have to see him to know he exists. That's why it's called faith. And if you think using my past name is going to ruffle me, sorry, but don't hold your breath. I ain't acting like I've lost my britches, now am I?"

Marluxia grumbled about the man's accent as it became more pronounced, but stuck to the main idea of the discussion. "Theorizing on something blind to you is the most presumptuous thing I have ever heard."

"Actually, no it's not. Until little over a decade ago the emotional heart was something abstract. A thing as untouchable and as hard to define as consciousness itself. You can't see that, the soul, or the heart that controls the emotions."

"On my world, we deemed it was the spleen that controlled emotions." Marluxia replied jokily.

"Marluxia, shut up and stop trying to be a smart ass. You know what I'm tryin' to say. You believe in things not seen, so why can't I? I think God gave us a second chance. Somehow he allowed us to be reawakened and here we are."

Marluxia rolled his eyes and continued to nimbly eat his popcorn. He and Demyx had an odd sort of relationship; they both loved to argue and that was the focal point behind most of their interaction, the knowledge that if one of them wanted to talk he merely had to hunt down the other. They were silent for a while before the younger once again spoke.

"On my world your home is referred to as 'Ancient' Rome you know. Your people came to worship my God and his son centuries ago. Which brings me to a question I was never able to ask you before you 'died'. Do you even believe in a Divine Power?"

"I suppose there's something out there that dictates our lives. My people believed in a variety of gods. Mars of War, Venus of Love, Jupiter their king to name a few."

Demyx smirked knowingly, "Then do you think _they _approve of our awaking?"

Marluxia shrugged, "It grew too complicated for me. I honestly stopped giving them power and my faith when they didn't help me, and I know for sure there was no boat leading to the gates of the dead. I never met Pluto, but if I did I don't think he'd be too happy about being cheated eleven souls." He chuckled lightly. "Yet, I suppose I _was_ being punished in some way. But, no I do not believe in my gods anymore."

Demyx made to open his mouth, but Marluxia shook his head, "And I am certainly _not_ interested in hearing about yours in great detail yet. I will come to you if I have any questions. First at least let me accept that we are in fact back on this plane. I'm expecting to awake at any moment and discover I'm either still dead or I never left my blossoming kingdom."

Demyx nodded and turned his stare to his bowl, "In a way I'm wondering the same thing. I kinda feel like I might wake up to an alarm going off and my little sister will coming runnin' in and tug on my hand. 'Myed, My Ed!…get up. School! You gotta go. Hurry before Mama yells.' Part of me wants that to happen, but I don't know if I could ever go back."

"Don't know if you could or if you would?" Marluxia asked him to clarify.

"I guess both..." Demyx admitted with a sag in his posture. Slowly he took another sip of soup.

Marluxia stood and walked to the trash can against a wall behind Demyx. "I know you and I have had a similar conversation before, but with us suddenly further breaking the rules of nature it once again poses the question in my mind of how all this happening. Time has bent itself all out of sorts. You talk of my home and know of it… the worlds are all connected somehow..."

"My head hurts every time you try to start talking this stuff, Marly, I hope you know." Demyx said with a small smile.

"Well the answer to these questions just might mean the fixing of all this madness."

"If you ask me, that sounds deceptively simple. And at the same time, harder than crap to pull off."


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Dawn had just recently broken, and in the twilight of morning nothing seemed disturbed. It began just as every day had on the small world, or so appearances seemed momentarily. Not a soul walked the cobbled streets of the town, but at this time of transition the lack of action was not in and of itself strange; many would still be slumbering in their beds or just rising to greet the ascending sun. Yet the tip off, the evidence that appearances were deceitful, was the serenity of the land.

There was complete and utter silence, nothing stirred. The day was bright, but the town and surrounding land was dead of sound. No chimney even exuded the smoke of a warm hearth, of a meal being made. What was the cause of this disturbing sight, for surely one would expect children running off to school, the shriek of a mother who had just discovered hers had taken to wrestling in the dirt when chores were to be done, yet there was a quiet, a heavy hush trepid with unadulterated fear.

Yes, terror and a dismal weight loomed on the dawn.

One would look upon the world from above and think it abandoned by fear of the new enemy that was leering and hiding amid stars. Yet what a gummi ship could not reveal was that this land was far from deserted. People, many of them, a population full were fortified within the confines of their homes. This world was not deserted in fear of the enemy, no it was a target. They had come.

No one, but the lucky people who had opted evacuation could have known that a few days prior there had been rumors of horrible sounds alighting the woodland air of the forest a few yards off from the city's entrance gate. And no one else would ever know. They would come swift and the city would be in ruins within hours. Another fallen, another notch, another mystery added to the reputation of the new fiends haunting the cosmos.

Then the tension broke to action. It started when a man strong in his age stepped timidly from his doorway which had been opened with the utmost care. His dark hair was matted to his head with some thick liquid. As the villagers watched him step into the crimson light of morning he was exposed. His bare back and pants were stained scarlet by blood and as he turned to the streets, his face was discovered to be tainted by the same hue as that which was trickling from his hair. He grinned in pure derangement, his emerald eyes wide in the same maniacal expression.

The town still did not stir, though instantly a jolt of fright tinged the air with its bitter taste. The man seemed to notice this for he began to slowly chuckle. He was a victim, a member of their society who had succumb to the temptation, or was too weak to resist. He was recognized as one of the town's militia who had entered the forest days before to inspect the eerie goings on. They had said there was nothing to be found. Had they all lied, or had this unfortunate man been the sole prey? Eyes within the houses turned to regard one another, speaking loudly: _Are you one of them too? _No one spoke, only turned helplessly to watch the man.

He continued to lowly laugh as he turned his back to the paved road and reentered the confines of his manor. When he emerged once again from the warm glow of the doorway many had to withhold a scream of horror. He pulled the limp form of a woman from the entrance, his wife, many realized. She was only recognized as a woman because of the form beneath the clothes, but even that was hard to discern. She was mutilated almost beyond recognition. There was barely an area on her body not painted crimson by her own blood.

The former militia man dragged her out into the morning and released her when he was standing in the middle of the street. She lay on the ground, unresponsive, dead. The man held no remorse for his act, quite the opposite in fact. He stared down for a moment at the form that had once been his loving wife before rising his head to stare into the sky.

His tenor was filled with mirth and happiness. He fell to his knees- distantly regarding his surroundings. To all outside observers, silence still reigned but the tainted man swiftly covered his ears as a defining whistle, like the low hum of a descending bomb amplified beyond baring, sliced through what was left of his mind. Blinding flashes of white danced across his vision as if he were being beaten. Indeed, his head began to throb as if it were being bashed repeatedly with a pipe.

His mouth pulled into an open gape and for a moment he seemed confused. Soon a shriek from an internal anguish ripped from him but all was hushed within a moment as his body convulsed.

All eyes that dared to do so watched his figure jerk, but even the most stalwart felt their stomach churn when his skin began to stretch. Families held their kids close, making sure they were not witnesses to this horrid transfiguration. The man's eyes grew cloudy, pupil less. His body then began to alter right before their eyes and they couldn't turn away; horror borne curiosity bid their gazes lock. They heard the cracking of bones as the limbs lengthened or contorted to a form anything but human. His skin irritated into an inflamed huge a likeness to that of a burn victim, fur of the same color rippled across his flesh like water in a pond. Within moments he was a creature six-feet in length. The only feature that remained to show he was once human was his face, eyes now blank expressionless. His whole body had morphed into this terrible, scarlet creature that ambled on four legs at the base of which were cloven hooves.

Every sound of fright died in the people's throats and their hearts rammed their chests as the creature raised its head over the dead body of the woman and howled, a ghastly sound. What sounded like hundreds, perhaps thousands of the same howls responded.

It sounded like a herd of cattle were stampeding towards the town, but ushering the pack forward was the lone creature who called to them and they called back. All hell had broken loose.

No time at all seemed to pass before houses were being broken into by the monstrosities. In a panic people fled. The air was filled with terrified and agonizing screams and the ascending of pink jewels towards the clouds. Mere hours later the silence had returned.

_There were no survivors. _

* * *

Xemnas grudgingly removed the blankets from his bed. The whole castle was going to need a thorough cleaning and that irked him just slightly. He didn't mind cleaning; it was a necessary part of owning a citadel such as his, but cleaning _the whole thing_? True, there were thirteen hands now that Lyra would be staying amongst them, but still, even with that man power the task would take a few days. And those days meant there was absolutely nothing they could do to research their newly acquired lives. They could speculate and talk about it all they liked, but no cold, hard evidence would be produced by that. For the next few days they would be restricted.

Xemnas groaned at the thought and, after depositing his bed linens conveniently by the door, crossed his room until he made it to the closet. He pulled fairly clean blankets from the top shelf and remade his bed. Once this was done he returned his gaze to his room. Dust covered every surface, but he decided he had pursued all cleanliness he wished to for the night. He walked back to the door and, lifting the bundle of soiled cloths in his arms, stepped into the hallway of the fifth floor.

He was not disturbed for a long while as he descended the steps and entered a second floor corridor. He adjusted his load and began walking again, his destination known. He was just passing an adjoining hall when a voice called to him.

"Xemnas!"

The culprit, Axel, was soon walking beside him. The lanky man had fallen into step with his superior quite easily. Xemnas had had a long conversation with him earlier, more lengthy and complex than the one he'd held with XI and XII. Their standing now was a complicated one but the oncoming encounter promised to be on the placid side.

"What are you doing down here?" Xemnas glanced at him from the corners of his eyes as Axel stared with smug mirth at the bundle of blankets. It apparently wasn't a question meant to be answered.

No one normally brought their laundry down voluntarily. It had always been a chore for one person in their midst to gather up the others laundry and bring it down for washing. Just because they had the nobodies at their command didn't mean they were short of jobs themselves. Xemnas had done the job for himself because he needed fresh air and time to ponder without the sight of his neglected room harassing his eyes. It appeared that peace was just a fantasy as the man beside softly sniggered.

"I'd rather do this myself than wait a week for the castle's normal routine to start functioning again. In fact, I was just thinking of how much this place needs some restoration. According to Lyra our absence has spanned six years, and I don't doubt that assessment from the state of the rooms and most of the halls."

"So, you're planning on a giant cleaning spree?"

"Yes. Some of us will work on repairing the damaged lower levels while the rest of take on more mundane tasks, such as _at least _dusting. You honestly think this place is clean?" The disdainful amazement in his voice did not escape Axel as the duo stopped and Xemnas finally rid himself of his burden. The laundry room had maintained its own state of disorder that would do the other rooms proud, garments from times past still littered the floor and, naturally, a think layer of dust and lint had settled over every surface.

"Well, it's seen better days, I'll admit," Axel replied reluctantly, referring to the castle as a whole, "but do we all have to pitch in? I mean can't we get someone else to do it, like the Nobodies? There are plenty of them, ya know."

"_You know_ they're useless for such tasks." Xemnas smirked. It was just like the young man to try and get out of work, he was like Zexion in that department. "Besides, I've not seen any Nobodies recently, unless we fit into that equation, and that girl has said nothing of them." It wouldn't take much effort to summon a few up.

Axel crossed his arms and grumbled. "We just got back. I think we should rest for a while." Xemnas paused again and turned a reprimanding eye on the fire bender. "As if the Eternal Sleep wasn't enough for you during your time in it? At any rate, I didn't find death a tiring place to be." In honesty, Xemnas really didn't remember being dead. Or even in a type of sleep. Nor heaven or, more appropriately, hell.

"It really wasn't all that eternal though, was it? We sure got back awful fast for that to be the case." The man replied sardonically.

Xemnas nodded somberly, "I suspect something more queer behind this than that strangeness which allows us to even exist in this state to begin with."

VIII sighed, "I agree. Something weird has happened, but I couldn't tell you what. I don't know any lead that could direct us in any one way, well, correction, there may be a lead, but I don't really want to follow it. It seems too convenient, too promising, and I do not want my hopes up for nothing. Understanding me?"

"And why do you feel this way?" Xemnas knew exactly what, or rather who, Axel was speaking of. If he had ascertained that the girl may have something to do with it then it was all the more cause to follow his previous curiosity. Someone agreed with him, one his best tacticians besides Zexion and Marluxia. He started walking again, confident Axel would reply.

"She was the only one around when we came to, if anyone else had been here, we'd have found out. And if she doesn't have anything to do with it personally, she knows something, but still, like I said, too easy of a solution…Besides I'd rather not count on someone who tempted the idea of suicide and was readily prepared to pursue it. Too unstable for my tastes. I don't like her, overly dramatic. I think we're better off trying to discover it ourselves without her involvement."

Xemnas nodded, "It is true that she acted ready to end her life, but she quickly saw the error of her ways. She even admitted to its pathetic quality. She may not be satisfied with her life as it is now, but she's certainly past thoughts of completely terminating it."

Axel snorted, "Whatever, what happened to the _poor_ girl anyway?" Xemnas wondered at his sneer. What was causing this? Was Lyra's recent breakdown that unreasonable to him? It seemed unlikely, which meant something else was eating at him and he felt the need to be pissy about everything else.

"By her narrative she's an exile, banished from her home without an explanation as to why."

Axel said nothing for a moment, when he finally replied it was in a slightly more civil tone, "I see."

"Good." Their conversation had almost lasted the entire trip back to his room, and it seemed that Axel wasn't keen on leaving just yet, but Xemnas felt his resolve slowing. He needed some rest, especially if he wished to organize the castle in the short amount of time he wished to. Dealing with a sullen exile and traitors was tiring, and it gave Xemnas relief to know that the day was coming to a close.

"You'd best get your rest, Axel, tomorrow we'll start the real cleaning and you _will_ be helping." The red head gave a hesitant and huffy nod, "and," Xemnas was walking away by this point, "I'm sure I won't have to tell you twice-you'll understand quite easily- but number eight, you're on probation until further notice."

"Not surprising." Axel muttered and turned away, wondering why Xemnas hadn't just said that during their little chit chat earlier.

* * *

To say that Zexion was content awaiting Xemnas's return to his room would be an overstatement. He blew at his long cobalt bangs concealing the right side of the his face as he leaned against the wall. His lone aqua eye seemed to stare out into space, but he was focusing on the hallway and trying to breath mostly from his mouth.

He sniffed slightly, and let a small groan. The fifth floor, he swore, had to be the dustiest place he'd come to so far. All this dust was playing havoc on his senses and he cursed his heightened nose. He raised a hand and rubbed in irritation at his eyes, which were becoming bloodshot as a result of his still functioning smell.

He was hoping his nose would become too stuffed up to bother with soon; if it didn't, he mulled over the idea of pulling his simple, black shirt over his nose. He hated this castle for the moment and for once he actually wanted to clean, anything so long as his suffering would cease. He had even contemplated sleeping out doors for a night or three.

He sniffled again and turned his head. A series of light footfalls caught his attention. Zexion crossed his arms, praying that one of the people nearing him was the Superior.

"…Number eight, you're on probation until further notice."

Despite his agony, the schemer smirked. Axel had met some kind of punishment. Though Zexion was positive it had nothing to do with the events of Castle Oblivion- that sentence would have been served during the year following his death- he wondered what the infuriating red-head had done. He could investigate later, he decided, and instead pushed the thought of any interrogation from his mind for the moment. He didn't care about Axel, unless it meant some kind of enjoyment at his expense. Was it wrong for Zexion to despise the man? He had, after all, orchestrated his death. Excuse him for being a little sore about it.

Zexion closed his eyes and waited as Axel's steps retreated and his Superior's heavier ones dominated the corridor. The first thought that crossed the younger man's mind, was one of relief. He had been rather bored waiting for the man to show up.

"Ienzo?" Zexion opened his eyes at the familiar name as Xemnas came into view. "What are you doing up here?"

"Just wanting a little chat. I need to talk to you about something interesting I discovered."

He knew that would capture Xemnas's attention. His weary gaze lightened substantially and he opened his room door and gestured Zexion inside.

He couldn't help the gag/gasp combination that left his throat upon entering the musky room. Would the torture ever end? Xemnas turned to him and frowned in apology.

"Don't worry, this place is getting cleaned starting tomorrow."

"Couldn't be soon enough."

"Would you like to take a seat? The bed's free of _old_ dust at least."

"No," the younger shook his head, "I want to leave as soon as I'm done."

"Is that that bad?"

Xemnas chuckled softly at Zexion's grimace, "You have no idea, but it's no worse than the bathrooms." This was followed by another sniffle.

"So, your reason for coming here?"

"I was wondering how long it would take you to stop any trivial talk and get down to business. I went to the Library and tried looking up the world called Ssendam that that girl said she came from. I found absolutely nothing pertaining to any world ever existing by that name- under any variation of spelling either. I doubt that in our absence a new world has popped up. So I would say she's lying. I wrote the name as I thought it sounded and I found something interesting. If you add another 's' at the beginning and flip the word it spells 'Madness'. "

Xemnas smiled, "Hm... it didn't seem to take her long to come up with that."

"Yes, if she's lied to us then it means her despairing did not warp her sense of preservation and that she's rather logical in distrusting strangers. It's a good sign."

Xemnas smirked, "No, not just good, excellent. She could prove useful; she may not be dead weight like Axel seems more apt to think."

"What are you really thinking about, Xehanort?" Zexion asked, easily brushing off the other man's exaggerated tone.

The look on his face proved the man was thinking about something, and it seemed to amuse him. "Lyra needs to be tested. She claims to be a solider on her world, one of the best. Perhaps to quell any doubts the others have of her she can prove herself. There are plenty of Heartless about and it likely wouldn't take but one command to go out to regroup the Nobodies."

"This isn't only for the others, though. It's the final test for you." Zexion observed, though not harshly. His statement was casual, he wanted to see the extent of the girl's skill too. If she had lied about her world than she could have very well lead them astray of her own worth as well.

"So is that all you came to discuss?"

"Yes, I'll be on my way. I refuse to lie down until my room is rid of any mold or dust. I wouldn't be able to sleep anyway with it irritating me. I'll be present to help clean tomorrow, and may I suggest that I clean the Library? The place is need of some dire 'organizing'."

Xemnas shook his head and laughed, "The easiest job? I should have known. You haven't changed one bit."

Zexion offered a smile, "Haven't I?" he asked cryptically but instead decided to follow Xemnas' example, "In many ways neither have you, Xehanort."

And then Xemnas was alone, leaving him to ponder over any loose ends in silence. Lyra's examination would follow their restoration of the castle, that was apparent, and whatever lie in store further in the future could be dealt with when it presented itself.

_**(A/N): You know, feed back is always nice. We need to be able to judge what parts you guys like and what kinds of things to cut back on. Please and thank you! A thanks also goes to Dawn, she wrote this chapter. Infact, chapter nine and the few that will follow this are mostly her doing now.**_


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

_**"We must take care that the forward movement does not degenerate into a headlong run. We must see to it that enthusiasm for the future does not give rise to contempt for the past." **__- _Pope Paul VI

_**"We can neither put back the clock nor slow down our forward speed, and as we are already flying pilot-less, on instrument controls, it is even too late to ask where we are going." **__- _Igor Stravinsky

Lexaeus worked his way around the centermost beaker covered desk and stopped near to where Vexen was shifting through papers. He added his own documents to the other man's pile already having alphabetized them. Their work was important in and of itself but Lexaeus knew it was predominantly just to keep them busy, to give their hands something to do. It was an excuse not to talk and, ultimately, it allowed time to ruminate on their situation. He soon broke the unspoken trend, however, as it became apparent that the silence was not going to settle his nerves like it used to.

"What is the status? Have any of us been able to gather anything?" He had not been entirely single minded when he went out with Axel previously for provisions, but in the short amount of time he wasn't able to come by much. Keeping up with the red-head had prevented him from venturing off on his own agenda. "It's going on day two and I still don't know how long we've been gone. I've heard the topic brought up time and again but has anyone been seeking answers?" The stillness of the room—indeed the feeling of emptiness throughout the entire castle—gave the man's voice a hollow touch. The hour was roughly around three thirty a.m. and Lexaeus suspected he and Vexen to be the only ones up.

Vexen nodded curtly as he bent slightly to reach the drawer hidden beneath the counter top. He pulled out another bundle of manila folders before speaking, "Xemnas spoke again to that girl. From the information he gathered from her—we're going to assume it's correct—we've been gone six years."

Lexaeus swore under his breath and absently set to work, skimming one of the stapled packets Vexen had unearthed along with his folders. "Now we really need to start sending people out for reconnaissance."

"Does it not disturb you that we're back?" Vexen questioned while putting the papers aside for a moment to regard the larger man. His jade eyes met with the sharp cobalt of his reserved companion's. The stark white of the light reflecting from the likewise white walls seemed to give the man more defiance, adding to his already impressive stature hidden beneath the plain grey T-shirt and denim pants. "I've talked with Zexion on the matter already. We can't think of any conclusions yet. Xigbar reminded me earlier and I quote, 'Everything in the universe is made up of subatomic particles. It's long been held that the info stashed away in those particles never disappears. It can be scrambled, chopped into little pieces or whatever, but it's a very basic principal of physics that information is never destroyed. Hypothetically, according to the strange laws of quantum physics, if one can retrieve all the information about an object, you could reconstruct it magically from scratch.' "

Lexaeus shrugged, "I have given the subject some thought, but after running in circles I decided to put such puzzles aside until I could get hold of a few more pieces of it. What Xigbar says makes sense but that doesn't exactly explain the why, just the science possibly behind it. I find it more proficient to focus myself to tasks and planning on which I am knowledgeable." He turned around and leaned back against the dark granite of the work desk and regarded the polished chrome of the door for lack of anything better to train his attention to in his current comfortable position. "What do you suppose we should do next? What has Xemnas to say on the matter?"

"Not much." Vexen said with a roll of his eyes, "Like you he's spending his time working on the concrete things of the here and now. You'll have to wait at least a week before that man will start to look at the future on large scales."

Lexaeus smirked, "Yes, you're probably right about that. I doubt he's changed any, but at least he's no longer the procrastinator Xehanort used to be back in the Garden."

Vexen shrugged but did not answer.

* * *

Tomorrow. Tjaldin found the need to remind himself of that fact. He and the other Elite soldiers would be heading out the next morning from Stehen. He found himself at odds with that information.

Their King was ailing. The people were not informed of this, but his personal guards knew this fact all too well. Lord Gyo would be passing soon, and his son Damien would have to rise to take his place. The King's soldiers should not be sent away in such a time, but it was necessary. Lyra made it so. At the remembrance of her name Tjaldin shifted in his bed.

He knew sleep was needed, their journey would be no trifle, but it escaped him. Every time he shut his eyes, which concealed their russet hue, he witnessed her trial again or saw her broken smile. What had they done? He let out a long exhale and sat up, the moonlight reflecting off his waist-length auburn hair that lay loose from its usual braid.

It had been essential; there was no way they could have avoided the excruciating torture they put her through. Tjaldin began to believe that less the more he pondered it. The poor girl was strong, but deep in his heart he wondered how much so. He still wasn't sure why her dramatized exile trial had been vital. What need did they have to break her psyche to those agonizing extents? Damien was the leader, the superior of Stehen's Elite Guards, but Tjaldin felt his trust in the man dwindling every moment he remembered the girl they had wrongfully banished. Damn it! He didn't even know why she had been, nor why sending her to the Realm In-between was needed.

He leaned his head back against the headboard and stared out into the starry night sky. The moon was only a sliver of opaqueness. Soon, the sky would be moonless. 'Fitting,' thought Tjaldin. Surely dark times were falling on their world as well as their neighbors, and since that man Riku had come along the situation was appearing even more dire. Something was going horribly wrong, but the irritating thing was that no one around him knew exactly what.

Rumors of worlds falling just like in the years of the Dark Wars had reached Stehen, but now, Tjaldin clenched his fists, those rumors stood as fact. Was this to be the fate of his world as well? Was Stehen destined to crumble?

His eyes glared into the dimness. In a very uncharacteristic gesture for him, he even acknowledging that anything his world and their armies could do might prove useless, and his head fell forward. He propped one arm atop his thigh and balanced his forehead in one of his hands. He was thinking too much and it was only causing him grief. He hated feeling helpless and yet here he was, lost for any explanation as to what was happening. Damien knew something, but his knowledge was not being shared with anyone.

The gunner groaned in frustration. Damien was marked with the tattoo of a man who knows more than what he speaks of. Whatever intelligence the prince now had in his possession was the reason behind the ordeal Tjaldin and his fellow soldiers found themselves in. There was a more complicated motive to every decision Damien made. He was smart and he had a good heart, Tjaldin admitted, but he had an insufferable habit of withholding troubling information—opting rather to try and face it all on his own.

Tjaldin was letting his emotions get the best of him. When it came right down to it, he was upset with his commander for only a few reasons. He was affronted that he was not trusted with the true plans of his leader and long time friend. He was second-in-rank after all! And then he was agitated by the situation he had been forced to witness at Lyra's expense. What moved Damien to do that? What was he hoping to accomplish? Tjaldin slammed his free fist into the comforter pooled around his waist. What if she died? It was quite obvious the charade had affected her psychologically.

Tjaldin lifted his head. He didn't think his heart could take knowing that he had somehow inadvertently caused the death of one of his closest friends. Had he known any sooner than he had what was about to take place with the young lady he would have tried his damnedest to stop it.

Why hadn't he stopped it?

He should have. It would have been so easy to voice high disagreement, but he had not. That guilt would gnaw at him until he was enlightened of her wellbeing.

He lie down once again, tempting sleep to drug him. He needed to confront Damien soon. He didn't need a leader who favored carrying a heavier burden on his shoulders than trusting his own men. And he didn't need Damien to get too full of himself. None of them were battle scarred. They had become the Elite in times of peace, or what had once been such; none of them had not experienced full combat yet.

Tomorrow they were heading to a world called Disney Castle, where apparently a monarch who had strong influence over Riku lived. A King Mickey if Tjaldin remembered correctly. He needed his wits about him to greet this man and thus he tackled the effort to sleep despite his mind's protest against it.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

Xigbar whistled merrily as he placed a pile of clothing atop the surface of the desk. This assortment of garments was only one of many that he and Saix had gathered--a testament of their first assignment for the day--from the abandoned stores of their world. He walked out of the room to retrieve another load, nodding to Saix as he entered with his own burden of fabric.

Returning, Xigbar couldn't help focusing on the burnt orange ball of blankets that signified that the room was still inhabited by its occupant. The girl deserved some rest, she had basically been an insomniac before their sudden reappearance. Which was still unexplained. Xigbar shrugged this off and placed another two arms full of clothing on her desk. They were all confused. Lyra, no offense, was no help in that department. She was either a piece to the puzzle of their own re-existence or she wasn't. He sighed. He was thinking about it _again_.

"She should getting up 'bout now, right?" He admitted the question was sudden and rather clear in the deafening silence of the room. The soft sound of Lyra's breathing barely interrupted the quiet, though to Saix and Xigbar it was louder than if heard by mere human ears. And yes, Saix had returned, carrying what the higher ranked man knew was the last of the supplies for the girl.

The younger appearing elf nodded his head curtly and Xigbar softly approached the bed and its slumbering resident. Saix turned and merely left, not bothering to stay and attend to the girl; Xigbar was more than capable of handling her on his own, which released him of one more duty he had had this afternoon.

Xigbar sat down on the edge of the bed and turned to the lump that represented Lyra. Without any reserve he reached over and shook her, gently at first, then with more enthusiasm.

"Hey, chit, wake up, it's past noon!"

There was a groan. Lyra shifted away from Xigbar's shoves. He smirked as her movements stopped and for a moment he heard nothing but a small grunt.

"It's still dark." Her voice was still coated with sleep.

"Yeah," Xigbar shrugged and Lyra felt the action, "you'll get use to it eventually. It always throws you off at first." Lyra sat up and stretched before leaning forward and joining Xigbar in gazing out the window like she had been beforehand.

'Oh yeah, I forget this is a world of eternal night. You'd think I'd be immune to that amazement after my time alone here.' She pulled her stare from the star-filled sky and the bright neon lights of the city she saw. She observed Xigbar. Why was he here and not Saix? She hadn't given it much thought, and it wasn't as if she was bothered by this man. Because he didn't seem to be planning anything malicious and he had helped her the previous night she found herself comfortable with him. At her mind's mention of the night before Lyra scrunched her face in embarrassment. Man, she had been a mess.

"So," she began, "what's going on? Sorry I slept so late." She tagged on the last part hoping he hadn't been sent to wake her as a result of her absence during the morning.

Xigbar turned to regard her, his visible eye reflecting his grin, "Don't apologize, kid, you needed it. Are ya feeling any better?"

Lyra nodded, "I feel," she smiled, "rested." Xigbar let out a short snort at that. He was a pretty casual person, she decided, which allowed her to be at ease around him fairly quickly despite the fact she had just met him yesterday--what she considered yesterday at least. He was just one of those people you quickly grew to like. In a way he reminded her of Tjaldin with his ability to make one drop their guard with his causality. "I feel a lot better."

"Good, we couldn't just let you keep moping. It really gets you nowhere around these parts." Those sage words surprised Lyra as did the sober expression that fleetingly crossed Xigbar's face. It was gone before she knew it, but the effect remained even as he spoke of another topic.

"Since I wasn't really told what to do with ya after getting you up, we'll improvise. You hungry?"

Lyra's face lit up. Was she ever! Her stomach had constantly reminded her of its hunger since awaking to the unrelenting brightness that her light fixture provided.

"I'll take that as a yes. C'mon, I'm not bringing you lunch in bed! We're going to the mess hall. You're going to have to learn your way around this castle sometime might as well start now."

He removed himself from the bed and walked over to the doorway. "You can change clothes after you're finished." That statement confused her. Her clothes surely hadn't been cleaned yet, and she wasn't keen on putting on her ripped shirt again. She said nothing, though, her senses filling in the question. She'd most likely be borrowing clothes again. As she followed Xigbar, her eyes never once strayed to her desk. If they had then her reasoning would have been proven extremely incorrect.

For the period of a hallway no words were passed between the two. The serenity wasn't uncomfortable, but Lyra still feared the silence; it reminded her of her first days upon the world of never-ending midnight, of days where she was alone except for the heartless. She quickened her pace until she was in step with Xigbar.

"What's for…lunch, I guess?"

He glanced at her, but the action wasn't seen as a result of his eye patch decorating the side of his face she was on. "You have any preference? I'm sure something else could be prepared."

"No, whatever's available is fine with me."

"Then soup it is."

Lyra nodded absentmindedly. "What happens after that?"

"Huh?"

"Am I going to be put back in my room after lunch?"

Xigbar heard the desperate tone of her question. "Do you want to go back?"

"No, I'm stable, I promise…I'm sorry for my dramatics yesterday. I just-"

"You don't have to keep apologizing ya know? You were sleep deprived, suffering from the effects of isolation and melancholy; besides it seems you went through something traumatic."

"But I'm in debt to you all, I mean, you didn't have to let me stay here…And some of you don't seem too fond of me anyway…I just don't want to be in the way."

"You're defending sucking up to us?" Xigbar chuckled at that. Lyra frowned and relocated her stare to the length of the hallway. The older man regretted his laughter immediately, and to be honest, he hadn't wanted to laugh at her at all, but that was his only option. He didn't think her ready to hear his truthful opinion.

Still glancing at her, he pondered his genuine feelings. To be acting as she was, being overly humble and very agreeable to him and the others of the Organization, she had to be terrified that they would simply throw her out for a negative opinion or reluctance. Now, as much as that was the persona the previous Organization six years ago, Xigbar felt it had changed. They had allowed her stay there, and nothing would make them take it back, unless she was extremely querulous. So, then, that left the man with one question. What had happened to this girl to make her so terrified of abandonment and loneliness? He hadn't been told her story, but he decided not to pry. It would do no good for her to fall into depression again.

Xigbar then realized that she had still said nothing. She was being eerily quiet, an antithesis to what Saix had told him earlier. Had he said the wrong thing to her despite his reserve? He abruptly stopped walking and Lyra followed his example almost immediately, and looked at him hesitantly.

"Lyra," it was the first time he had used her name. The result was instantaneous. Her head fell forward to stare into the floor.

"You're right," she said in a strident whisper, "But I feel like this is the only way to act…at least I know this way is safe."

The reply she was given was a contrite smile from the elven man. He said, "I see your logic in that, but, chit…" She heard his footsteps and then she could see his toes revealed from his brown, open sandals. "You're trying to dodge obstacles that aren't even there. You could say we're kinda like a wolf pack here. Fitting, no?" His smile widened and became more cheerful for a moment before falling back to a serious expression, "Anyway, submission is a key role from time to time, but not all the time, only when someone of higher rank feels a person has stepped outta line. I'll admit we're not as complicated as actual wolves. We're very simple people when it comes to the actual functioning of our organization." Lyra had yet to look at him, but he knew she was listening. "The atmosphere around here before all that death and other nonsense happened was sort of like 'live and ignore everyone else.' You'd have companions when you wanted, and often times needed, but you also had a great deal of privacy and self-governing."

Lyra finally conceded to looking up at him, her face was etched with regret and sorrow, but she had shed no tears. He beamed at her. "No saying you're sorry this time, okay?" He did something quite unexpected then. He wrapped his arms around her and gently held her there. She had wanted comforter for so long, and had been bent on not asking, but now that she had it she moved to grip Xigbar's blue sweat-shirt and leaned against his frame. She didn't cry, and it was a little odd to realize that this was the second time he had neutrally embraced her. However, he seemed more comfortable with the action this time around.

When he let her go he tilted her chin up with his fingers and winked. "I'd rather you be the feisty bugger I met yesterday. Having an opinion doesn't hurt you, and in a place like this, it's needed. If you see, hear, or are told anything you don't agree with, don't be afraid to say so. Being so humble and meek gets annoying real fast and it just leads the way for you to be stepped on. Or worse, people will start to view you as completely useless. Be strong. I have no doubt you can be. You made it here in one piece didn't you?"

He had released her chin by this point and she nodded. "See, there's something to say. Now stop being mopey, got it? If I see you acting like this again without good reason…I'll hurt you." Lyra smiled lightly at him, knowing he was joking about the last part, but there was some truth in his words. He'd definitely do _something_ if she reverted to her submissive shell again.

"Ah ha! She smiles," he proclaimed and pivoted it on his feet. "Now, let's go get lunch. Are you sure you want soup?"

Lyra nodded, "Yeah, but could I have a sandwich to go along with it?"

"That's the spirit, and sure." He continued walking with Lyra right behind him. It didn't take them long to reach a set of double doors that lead to the mess hall--perhaps not even half the length of the hallway. Xigbar held the door open, "Ladies first." Lyra voiced her appreciation and they entered the room.

It was empty, and amazingly the walls here weren't the ivory Lyra had become accustomed to seeing throughout the citadel. They were a light teal color, and accented with dark wood furnishing. As Xigbar walked over to the refrigerator to retrieve the soup, apparently some leftover food from the night before, Lyra just stood admiring the senary. Finally she saw some color! The fixtures and furniture too lacked the warehouse feeling the rest of the sleek and pristine fortress had.

"Shocking, huh?" Lyra stopped her gawking and turned to Xigbar.

She nodded, "I had thought…all the rooms were the same design- white and moderately empty." He grinned as he placed the pot over one of the trio of stoves that lined the far wall of the room.

"Yeah, most of 'em are, but Demyx was adamant that this room be painted a different color. I rather think it's nice. And you haven't seen the library or the sitting room, or anyone else's private rooms for that matter. The majority of this place might seem bleak but not all of it. It was designed around function first you know?"

Lyra smiled, "Yeah."

"You could paint your room if you want. I'd be more than happy to get you some paint if you'd like to spice it up. In a way, it's rather lucky that Roxas wasn't here long enough to really give it his flavor- you get a fresh plate."

"No one would mind?"

"Probably not, Saix and I even went out to get you some clothes. Though, I wasn't sure what size of undergarments to get you. We grabbed all the sizes we could. The ones that don't can just be put into storage…But the tops and bottoms I'm pretty sure should fit."

Lyra gasped, "You got me clothes?"

Xigbar grinned, "You can't be wearing hand-me-downs the whole time you're here. If you want to thank anyone it'll be the Superior. Xemnas was the one who told us to get them for you. So what kind of sandwich do you want?"

Lyra walked over to him, "At least let me make my sandwich, it feels weird enough being here, best not let the novelty last. Where do you keep the bread? Cheese and butter in the refrigerator?"

Xigbar pointed to the cupboard above the third stove and then to the refrigerator with a nod. He watched her retrieve the items and before he knew it she was standing beside him, food in hand. "Can you please move so I can make me a grilled cheese sandwich?"

"Know how to use a stove?"

Lyra glared up at him from beneath her messy, navy hair. Her emerald eyes were indignant at his small smirk. "I'm twenty, not ten, I think I'm pretty capable to making a sandwich with an oven, thank you."

That annoying smirk never left his face as he turned away and walked to the table. "Just checking. Different worlds have different technologies. When Marluxia got here he didn't seem to know jack shit."

The sandwich was done before the soup, which was a rich tomato, but it took little time after that before Xigbar and Lyra both had bowls before them. To her though, this was more than a meal... It felt like she finally had her life before her again.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Well, you know I have no idea…We have plenty of people."

"So who could I help?"

Zexion distinctly heard Xigbar and Lyra's conversation as he pushed open the doors and entered the room. Both sat at the farest end of the long table and turned their gazes away from one another as they heard him enter.

"Hey, Zex-" Xigbar greeted, but abruptly stopped. "What the hell are you wearing on your face?" He began to chuckle, and Lyra who had her gaze purposely elsewhere, tried to hide the smile on her lips.

"Dust and I don't mix." Zexion stated curtly from behind the white face mask he wore over his nose and mouth.

"Oh yeah," Xigbar said a tad regretful, "I forgot your nose was better than all of ours."

Lyra listened quietly, not because it was polite, just because she didn't have anything to say. Zexion had an enhanced sense of smell? She admitted that was rather interesting, and wondered what other inhuman abilities these people had.

"Does it make it better?" Lyra asked after her thoughts reached a temporary finale. Zexion regarded her in slight surprise. There was no longer any inflection of melancholy in her voice. Her casual curiosity caused the man to glance swiftly at Xigbar. If anyone could have gotten her over her pessimism it would have been him.

"Yes, it helps."

Lyra nodded, and felt a little self-conscious. Now she was the center of attention and she had nothing more to say. She took a deep breath and waited for the awkwardness that had settled to shift.

Zexion focused on the girl and gave no thought to the familiar amazement he felt at Xigbar's natural tenacious optimism. That man had suffered so much in his last moments as a somebody, and yet he was the one, other than Demyx, who continued to at least attempt a constant hopefulness. The Cloaked Schemer had forgotten the last time during their condemnation as beings of nothings when the man was even remotely somber for an extended period.

Xigbar noted the contrite expression in his younger subordinate's gaze. Whatever he was thinking was best left unsaid until later, and with a creeping feeling Xigbar knew the rumination was directed at him. Evidence enough was that the man's gaze had altered ever so slightly in his direction.

"So what did Xemnas assign you?" Xigbar prompted.

Unbeknownst to him all were relieved at the sudden question. Zexion smirked beneath his mask, "The Library."

"Lucky! How'd you swing that?"

"Surprisingly, I just asked."

"Geez, I wish I could take that job. It's gotta one of the cleanest places in the castle."

"Just needs a little dusting and some organizing."

"Lucky bastard." Zexion chuckled at the remark.

Lyra, now done with her "lunch" was observing the exchange between the two. Maybe Xigbar was right. She didn't feel threatened and the atmosphere presented here seemed playful even. These two, especially Xigbar seemed carefree. Maybe she had nothing to fear; maybe--and her heart ached at the early hope because she still hadn't fully recovered from her betrayal--she could start anew. If she was thought of as a trator then why not join up with these supposed villains that had caused trouble years ago? If she was to base that opinion off the two that continued battering despite her distraction, then these people weren't criminals at all. And she sensed that the events of those years ago were deeper than she knew.

She had only heard one side of the story. She would be lying if she said she was indifferent to theirs. What had they been searching for? Why so much conspiring? Questions zoomed one after another in her head, so much so she missed the ending of her two hosts joking.

"Where are you working Xigbar?"

"Xaldin, Lexaeus, and I have been chosen to continuing cleaning the basements and make further repairs so Vexen can finally have his lab functioning at full capacity again. I know he's slowly dying without it. How about you, Library boy? Who's working with you?"

"Demyx."

"Do you need any help?"

"I believe we can tackle the Library by ourselves. It's big, but not that big." He replied offhandedly, knowing full well what Xigbar might be getting at.

Xigbar nodded, "I wasn't sure where Lyra could help. Do you happen to know where the others are? Saix and I were gone for the first hours of the day collecting clothes."

Lyra's attention had returned. They were talking about her. She unconsciously bit her lip. Who would she be working with? The wait was prolonged as Zexion crossed the room and opened the refrigerator. He pulled out two cans of soda before closing the door and speaking.

"Marluxia, Larxene, Axel, and Saix are assigned the three courtyards and the interior rooms of the third floor."

Xigbar grinned, "Putting the rouges together…Good idea and with Saix watching, they better not step a foot outta line."

Zexion bowed in appreciation, "Thank you, exactly why I suggested it this morning."

"Dirty, but I like it. What about the rest?"

"Vexen and Luxord are cleaning the Bathrooms on the lower floor. That leaves Xemnas cleaning the other one."

Xigbar choked as he finished his soup, "What? Xemnas is alone cleaning?"

"I know."

Xigbar grabbed Lyra's hand, "C'mon, chit, that's where you're going! Xemnas cannot be trusted to clean his own room much less the bathrooms; your feminine touch is greatly needed."

Zexion smiled, the interactions through out the rest of the day would be the finality everyone needed. He suspected habit would soon return and old customs- relationships and otherwise- would resume. Now that there was one more person to this equation- still an oddity in and of itself- realignment needed to happen seamlessly and painlessly. If this girl was asked to work directly with Xemnas he predicted everyone's reaction to her presence would go from tolerated to accepted.

Of course acceptance didn't necessarily warrant approval, but Xemnas wasn't the final say so for nothing. If he didn't kill her upon prolonged interaction then it was safe to assume she didn't deserve death.

"I'm working with Xemnas?" Lyra questioned as Xigbar pulled her up and basically dragged her from the room, something about that gave her a sense of déjà vu .

"Yep, it's the only free spot."

Lyra nodded, "Alright." There was no other choice here, but for the second day in a row she would be alone with Organization XIII's leader. It didn't irk her; she was frightened. She felt her face begin to pale and was glad Xigbar was intently focusing on dragging her across hallways so as not to see. But she hadn't forgotten his words to her, and with that she prepared herself.

Xemnas had not been that intimidating in speech yet, though the aura about him and the respect he was given proved that he was not inept at his job. This was the only place she had, and she was determaned not to destroy the chance of any semblance to a normal life. She would be working with Xemnas, and she tried to calm herself with the hope that their partnership might dislodge the discomfort she remembered feeling from the man the prior day.

She could tell herself that as much as she wanted, but when Xigbar stopped before the familiar bathroom door Lyra felt her heart speed up. She could not let him see she was scared so she reached up and pushed the door hoping her hands were not visibly shaking. It soundlessly opened and she stepped in. Xigbar stood in the doorway leaning against the doorframe.

"Xemnas?" She called, her voice tentative. She stood there and tried to remember how to breath as footsteps neared the divider in the floor and a man stepped into her view.

_**(A/N): We promise, the pace of this story will be picking up shortly. I think the T.V. show **_24 _**is the only story I've seen that gracefully pulls off three story lines working as one. I, dusk, personally love the way the Organization scenes are laid out but I have a fear that they might bore some readers to tears. Conversation means a lot! Just… some people like action better. Don't worry, once we get the teen chapters up action too should pick up. And be aware, **_24_** might juggle three point of views, we're about to juggle five. As always, please review! We love to hear from the brave souls who've opted to keep up with this story. **_


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

_There were no survivors…_

It was just like the scene from the previous town, and her own home before that. The sight brought bile to her throat but she had no time to give into weakness, not yet. For now she would have to fight back her nausea and keep moving.

Denali, clothed in weather beaten trousers and a simple tunic, stood one moment longer in still observance. Tragedy marred the silent streets. Her face was cast in shadows from the hood of her traveler's cloak but despite this her pale lavender eyes shown out crisp and luminescent. Her gaze scanned over the bloodied dead, causing her to shiver despite the warmth of the sun shining down unhindered by clouds in the clear evening sky.

Having had her fill she began to quietly walk away, keeping an alert speed to her cautious steps. Denali took some small comfort in the number of corpses- there was considerably less than what a town of that size would normally harbor. Hope that many had escaped tugged at her heart; it would mean that she too might have a decent chance to get off the world alive.

The world was Elydria, and although its name sounded like the sweet honey of a utopia, the current reality couldn't have been further from that imagery. Like a few Worlds before it, Elydria had been tainted.

During her retreat Denali's cloak snagged on the edge of a splintered crate that appeared to have been thrown out of the shop it lay in front of. The girl wasn't aware of this fact until two steps away when the tug of her forward momentum caused a sharp crack from the broken wood. The sound caused her to start so violently that she nearly lost her footing. She reeled around in a panic, her heart thrashing madly within her ears, expecting to find that she had been discovered.

The relief that washed over her was almost overwhelming when she realized what had happened. She shakily removed her hands from her mouth where they had been flung to prevent the yell that had threatened to give away her position. She bent over and unhooked the fabric from the crate with a nervous smile on her pale face, thinking to herself, 'I'm gonna have to be more careful.' She closed her eyes to collect herself and turned around once more, far past eager to be away from all the death. When she opened her eyes again a shrill scream ripped from her throat.

In front of her, smeared in blood, was a familiar face. Short, black braids lined his head, dark brown skin reflecting the sun's rays in an uncanny fashion, and mahogany eyes boring into hers. "Alister." She said, her voice now a whisper.

"What ya doin' 'Nali?" He asked sweetly, the tone he had always had for the two years that she'd known him. "Were you headin' for Tavern West? Best not go dere, still a lot of fightin' going on."

Denali didn't respond to him. Instead, she quickly looked around her. There were two more of them that she knew of. Upon first reaching this place she had caught sight of them all as they walked unconcerned through the human remains. The man with chestnut curls and the young, dainty blonde were not with Alister now. Denali gulped. She had been trying to hard to go unnoticed by them and she felt her face redden as the realization hit her that they must have been aware of her from the beginning. 'This is the part where I die…'

"You aught'a join us." Alister said, his white teeth gleaming, a bright contrast to his dark features. "Light. Conquering over Darkness!"

Denali took a step back from the being that was once her friend. She was mid-step into another retreat when a solid object stopped the motion like a wall. She whipped around on the ball of her foot and stood face to chest with the man she had been expecting to see earlier. Beside him stood the girl; a distant and dreamy expression was on her glowing adolescent face.

"There's no leavin' without pickin' a side." The brunette man said, in a tone that one would use with a small child.

Denali's muscles tensed, adrenaline licked anxiously across her body, urging her to move although she remained motionless. Her eyes flickered back to Alister. There was a foot between herself and the possessed twenty-year-old and no space between her and the new rivals. Thirty seconds had passed since the last sentence was spoken and something told her there wouldn't be much more time to slip by idly.

In an all or nothing attempt Denali decided to act. She bolted towards Alister and spun out of his reach the instant her foot hit the ground. With the path ahead of her now clear she ran for it. The little energy she had left to her carried her faster than anything she had ever managed in the past. It was strange, she thought, that she didn't hear the sounds of a pursuit but she _would not_ look back for fear of it slowing her down. Instead, she tried to run faster, assuming that perhaps they had gone another way, planning to cut her off on an upcoming street.

She was out of breath and her chest burned with the effort it had never been demanded of before. Tears burned her vision and she wheezed in exhaustion. 'Can't stop! Can't stop! Can't stop!' Her mind screamed, reminding her that to slow could mean the end of her. Ahead, the tree line that marked the edge of town was coming into sight. In less than a minute's time she was scrambling over the broken shambles of the town's gates and barreling into the forest.

The sixth tree she passed she latched onto and worked with her forward momentum to swing around and look behind her, having finally given into the urge to see if they were gaining on her. They were nowhere in sight. They hadn't even bothered to chase her.

Her head felt light and her lungs felt like they couldn't take in air fast enough as she gulped in mouthful after mouthful of the muggy summer heat. With a whole day of traveling nonstop and that quarter of a mile sprint just then, Denali was surprised that she hadn't already passed out. She didn't allow herself to linger any longer to rest. At any moment her solitude could be broken.

"Jus- a lil- bit more." She whispered breathily to encourage herself. Her destination was the city of Bramridge. Her uncle Elijah possessed two gummi ships and was the only person within sixty miles who owned the technology. He was her only hope. 'Let's pray that I catch someone there. Knowing Elijah and aunt Abigail, they've been helping anyone and everyone who's come to 'em. Bet uncle Eli wishes he had more than just _Caramel _and _The Chariot. _They've probably been running trip after trip.'

She didn't give into the small voice that whispered, 'What if Elijah's dead? What if all of Bramridge is destroyed like all of what else I've seen of Elydria?' She couldn't focus on the negative. She didn't have the will or the time to do so. Nor the energy as finally her legs and pounding heart plead out that she rest.

It had been seven minutes since she had entered the shady seclusion of trees and she hadn't heard a single sound. As she dropped to her knees and then to her stomach, she wondered about the eerie silence. No birds, no bugs: silence. If the sound of her feet didn't thud and crunch the sticks beneath her, she would have thought she had gone deaf.

"Well, I suppose this is better for me. I'll hear them coming from a distance." And with that she closed her eyes and pressed her forehead to the cool, mossy ground and pulled her thick and wavy black hair off the back of her neck in an effort to cool down.

"Just five minutes."

When Denali woke up it was night time. She didn't even remember falling asleep! Wind played through the leaves around her but other than the whispers of the trees, it was still unnaturally quiet. She pulled her cloak around her; the air had gotten colder quickly. 'What should I do?!' Panic was beginning to creep into her consciousness. 'If I try to walk now I'm bound to get disoriented. If I light a fire to make camp I would just be askin' to be found…' Her stomach growled and she crawled over to a wide based tree and leaned against it.

There really wasn't an option. She was going to have to sit where she was until morning. 'Once the sun comes up I'll know which way to go. Wakes to the East and rests in the West. I need to go North.' She thought aimlessly, trying to keep her mind on other things.

The wind had stopped blowing now. She shivered and pulled the dirty wool closer about her. The silence was making her paranoid. As if the soft rasp of air entering and exiting her lungs would be enough to draw enemies to her. Unconsciously, she began trying to inhale less and to hold it in for longer. She was to spend the night like this; in the fetal position, afraid to even breath.

* * *

Herumor sat in his study, letting his eyes glance over the paper he had received earlier that morning. It was from the human king, Gyo, providing his elven equivalent with all the news from his kingdom. Herumor smiled at the bluntness and familiarity Gyo addressed him with; but, his amused expression soon changed to contemplation as he read down the letter and learned of the rather well informed foreigner abiding in Stehen for a few days.

…_Riku has also made claim that he was directly involved with the war six years ago. He admitted that he had no small part in participating in activities that escalated the conflict but that he greatly regretted his initial stand point and later made every effort to atone for his weakness. He went on to say that the events of that war he believes to be directly related to the goings on we are now dealing with. Herumor, my friend, I would like to think that I have gained a good sense for judging character in my advanced years and I have no doubt about the sincerity of this young man. However, I highly recommend that you come and meet him for yourself. He has agreed to stay here until the end of the week, in which time I have taken it upon myself to send someone to confirm the authenticity of his tale. _

_Serra has gone to Radiant Garden for me and should be back by the morrow. I will understand if you cannot make it here, given the complicities you are battling on your own soil--or shall I say shores. Two ships was it? I send my sympathies and wish there was some aid I could_ _send you, though your pride would refuse it, I realize. _

_Well, I am forced to bring this letter to a close at last. My old age is getting the best of me. Send your family my hello and best wishes. Also, tell Neysa I said for her to keep _both_ eyes on you and to keep you out of trouble._

_Gyo Kostellen_

Herumor smiled as he gently folded the paper and set it aside on his crowded desk. He suspected Gyo's messy calligraphy and briefness in writing had less to do with old age and more to do with illness. He wished that times were peaceful for the graying king's final days. He looked at the letter and shook his head. He would not be traveling. The letter was from four days ago and had been buried in the mail collecting despairingly in his work area.

"Lord Herumor," a voice interrupted his thoughts. The king raised his hazel brown eyes to meet the gaze of his visitor. "Your brother has returned from the harbor, he has news for you."

"Thank you, send him in," He answered, having to crane his head far back to look the other man in the face.

The taller elf nodded and turned to leave, his waist length pine-green hair swishing behind him in a swirl. 'I always have envied Oleander's hair.' Herumor thought off-handily, twirling a stand of his own long auburn locks between his fingers as he waited for his younger brother to join him.

Relich entered the room moments later in a hurry. His usually pale face was flushed from the run and excitement was marked clearly in his stance. Herumor realized that he must have sprinted all the way from the ports, his russet crop was still damp with sea spray from the shore--or was that sweat? The look on the young elf's face worked quickly to somber Herumor up.

"How many lives were lost this time?" He asked gravely.

"None!" Relich answered in an excited rush. His brother had misjudged his out of breath astonishment for dread.

"None?!" This was new. Of the crew from the three ships that had left harbor two and a half weeks ago this was the first time any had made it back alive. There had been a body washed ashore four days ago, but that was all any on the land had seen of the people who'd set out. Herumor was momentarily at a loss for words. However, it didn't take long before his role as a leader assumed its position as his rightful countenance once again. "Perhaps now we will finally get some answers. What did they have to report?"

"The captain said the ocean below them began to glow. 'Red, as if suddenly blood, but alight as if it were fire itself.' He knew immediately to call for a retreat. He said the waves began to heave and up from the water rose a giant creature that went straight to work attacking _The Alaea, _twelve knots before them." Relich shook his head. "When he was telling me this, I could see his frustration and anguish. He said he would have opened fire if it wasn't for the concern for his crew. He wanted to get them out of there alive. By the time her sister ship was down, _The Arenel_ had made it a considerable distance away. The captain said that by nightfall the beast had lost interest in pursuing them."

Herumor stood up from his seat and placed both hands down on the desk's paper covered top. "Was it a dragon do you think? The last recorded instance of a dragon was over 200 years ago…" He didn't stay hunched over for long and quickly crossed the room to the pegs that rested in his wall and pulled his royal violet cloak from it.

"Where are you going?" His brother asked in confusion, looking at him worriedly.

Herumor pulled the necklace of his tribe over his head so that its crest was visible on his chest. "I am going to inquire into the other tribes about this creature. If I find nothing then-"

"You should also request an appointment with King Gyo of the men's dwellings in the East. I have heard tales of strange occurrences amongst the other worlds too. It is he that has the most dealings with those outside of Stehen."

Herumor shook his head no, "I will speak to the Lunestris first, if nothing is found through them _then_ I will set up a meeting with Gyo. Relich, the human Lord is ailing from a disease. He is facing his last moments and the worlds are falling into chaos. I do not wish to trouble him _further_ until I know it must be done. A peaceful or brave death is all a man can ask for. I intend to at least try to give him that."

The young prince nodded with a dissatisfied look in his eyes, but he understood.

"Tell the elders and anyone who may be of help in the art of decoding the ancient texts that I must see them upon my return. I want to hear their opinions before I go to inquire of Gyo Kostellen."

"While you're gone what are we going to do in the meantime?"

"Shut down and fortify the ports of course!" Herumor replied crisply. "I would say send a fleet to kill it but I would like to first see what we're up against. I'd rather not throw away more lives."

Having been snapped at, the red-head tried not to show his embarrassment "Be safe on your journey." He said in a formal air and bowed regally. The moment swiftly passed and on a more familiar note, "If _you_ don't do anything stupid then_ I _promise not to either" He pushed the door open and entered the hall.

Herumor paused in his preparations to consider his younger siblings words. He grinned, feeling just a little better. "Oleander, get me my horse, I will be traveling to Lunthushra." He called to his friend who he knew was waiting within earshot.

Everything began to sink in. Herumor let his gaze travel to the large picture glass window accenting the back wall. The setting sun bathed everything in crimson and ginger, the sparkling sea in the distance reflected majestically and it was difficult to look at without shielding one's eyes. He sighed at the ethereal beauty of his home. It was all about to shatter. 'A war is soon to be set in motion; we all must prepare to lose everything dear to us. The end will be the same as everyone before it, to see the death and devastation wrought and live to wonder if you could have stopped it_.'_


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

In all appearances she was staring forward, but actually her gaze was directed ever so slightly to her left side, where her husband sat. Lynn knew Damien was hiding something from her, and though she could understand his secrecy, it angered her. He use to tell her everything, but now he was being evasive.

A subject that came up often was her sister, Lyra, but whenever she would ask of her Damien would reply her mission was going well. Lyra, she had been told, was currently on some world gaining information. Damien had only told her that something seemed to be trying alter the balance of the worlds.

They were all half-truths. Having known Damien for a number of years, including the time they had been merely friends, he should have known better than omitting details from her. Why couldn't he tell her the truth? Her heart sped up in her chest. Could all the rumors she had been hearing be true? Was the situation as bad as some of the people who had been coming to Stehen were saying?

Dark rumors of strange beings filtered to her ears; worlds being utterly ravaged and left lifeless with little to no human life remaining. She shifted in her seat and stared at Damien a moment before shifting her gaze. He was certainly more on edge lately. Something was definitely going on. She had never witnessed Damien this stressed and she sensed an aura of guilt around him.

Her jade eyes fell on the pilot of the gummi ship in which they were currently traveling in. Damien had said they were off to meet a king who knew more about what was happening in the universe. So whatever it was that was occurring it was nothing trifle, another monarch was being questioned for information. She sighed. Her head felt dizzy, but the thoughts wouldn't stop. Nothing was making sense. Why was she clueless to the big picture?!

Her focus stayed on the pilot as she felt a hand run, soothingly through her hair. She could feel Damien staring with affectionate concern at her.

"You should get some sleep, Lynn. It'll be a few hours until we reach Disney Castle."

She shook her head. "I'm fine, just thinking."

"Lyra again?"

"Yes and no."

"Your sister is fine, trust me when I tell you that. As for everything else…We'll all soon be enlightened."

She nodded, but deep inside she shook her head. 'Do you even really know if Lyra's okay? And you know more about this any of us, your fellow soldiers even. And I have a feeling that this man knows the same amount,' her gaze became more centered on the pilot of the Gummi ship. This was Riku, the man who had appeared on their world a less than a week ago.

She couldn't help the animosity that caused her to glare at him. She had just recently met him and yet Damien was affording more responsibility to him since their acquaintance than he had given his guards after a year's worth of service under him. She sniffed and closed her eyes. What did they know, and why were they hiding it?

"Hey, Riku," she called softly. She received a grunt in reply. "I'd love to know something, and I'd really appreciate if you and Damien would answer it for me."

"Lynn," her husband drew out soothingly, a stiffened hand touching her own. She recoiled violently. "NO!" She yelled, pulling her hand away from Damien's attempt to dissuade her speaking. She felt the Gummi ship lurch beneath her and squeaked. She regained her composure rather quickly, howbeit.

She crossed her arms and turned to Damien. His stare was warning, but she tilted her head upward and shook it. "Don't you try threatening me! I have a right to know! Now, you two are going to tell me exactly what is going on. The truth! I want to know what's really happening and what actually happened to my sister."

Considering how innocent she had sounded before, this was a drastic change. Her voice was low and persistent. She was challenging them to deny her. Riku stopped the ship, which wouldn't be noticed immediately. They were trailing a ways ahead the ship that was carrying the others of the _Elite_.

Lynn lowered head and stared in-between the two men. They shared glances amongst themselves and Lynn frowned.

"You _are_ hiding something! I knew it! Now, you are going to tell me the truth. I know when you're not telling the whole truth, Damien Kostellen! And you," she turned to Riku her eyes filled with contempt, "what position are you playing in this?"

Riku gave her a look that was a middle ground of admiration and distance. She still had her arms folded tightly, continuing to sport a stiff faced challenge. Riku sighed. "If you'd be patient, Lynn, every single question you have will be answered. Right now is not the time to explain to you everything you demand. Once we arrive to Disney Castle, I promise all will be revealed. The real location of Lyra, her purpose, the threat endangering the cosmos. I swear that you, and everyone else, will be filled in. I know you must be worried. I understand you feel jaded that you are being kept in the dark, but please, it is for your safety you do not know just yet." To himself he added, '_your safety and mine. I want to be able to defend myself when you find out we basically tossed your sister on an abandoned world in hopes that she can resurrect a band of criminals and come out of it alive._'

Lynn felt her heart drop in her chest. "So, something terrible is happening? It's not just a panic over some little outburst of controlled chaos?" Damien pulled her to his chest. She shook her head. "No, no, no…Damien, what's going on? What happened to Lyra?" She questioned desperately, grabbing his arms and burying her head into his chest. "It's terrible isn't it?" Damien ran his fingers once again through her brunette hair. "She was the only one I trusted could succeed." To anyone else this would have promised nothing, but Lynn grasped its meaning instantly. "What... have... you done?" She managed through clinched teeth. Her composure broke when Damien only closed his eyes and lowered his head, shaking it slowly as if to apologize.

With a sob Lynn buried her face into her hands and sank into her husband.

"Keep going Riku, she'll be fine." She heard Damien say. He then was burying his head into her hair. "I'm sorry, Lynn…there was no other way. Even now, I see nothing that could have prevented it. She's strong, I believe in her." Lynn only cried harder into his chest. She knew her sister had been put in danger, and though the gravity of it was still unknown to her, she was sure it was horrible. Now she feared even more for her sister and the calamity that was occurring in the space around her to have caused such an extreme measure.

* * *

Xigbar's deep laugh broke the silence that had settled after Xemnas had appeared. Lyra was standing motionless between the men. Her eyes were focused in shock before her, her face flushed darkly. Xemnas's own smirk followed soon after Xigbar's chuckles.

"I've not even worked up a sweat yet." He commented, crossing his arms over his bare chest, being sure to flex a little as he did so.

"Oh don't let him embarrass you, Lyra…He's just cocky. He thinks he's hot, but you know from experience that I am much more desirable." Lyra yellped in protest at the sniper's comment and buried her face in her hands. Fear was now nonexistent.

Xemnas stared at Xigbar. "Really now? When did this happen?"

"Aren't you just dying to know," Xigbar smirked.

Xemnas shook his head, smiling. "Okay, I think she's had enough. Why are you with her?"

Xigbar shrugged, "I volunteered to take her from Saix for the morning. I heard you were alone in here cleaning and I thought Lyra could help you."

At the oddly suspicious look he received Xigbar rubbed the back of his head, "Ok, I totally don't trust you in here by yourself."

"That's more believable," Xemnas grinned and turned his back to his audience. "So then, you can leave, Braig. I think I can handle her on my own."

"Yeah, yeah," Xigbar waved his hand and removed himself from the doorway, "but if you want her to be any use you need to get her to stop being embarrassed. Lyra, c'mon stop being so shy…He's just shirtless and remember, I'm the better looking one."

Lyra let out another groan into her hands. Xigbar's parting gift was a long laugh as the door shut.

"He just likes to push it too far."

Lyra raised her head slowly and smiled, though she knew it was an odd gesture and nothing of her previous behavior supported it, "Yeah, but it's a little comforting…He reminds of someone I use to know. And he was more lewd…I'm sure when I get more comfortable here I'll be fine. I grew use to it once and I can do it again." She noticed that the man's back was covered in a labyrinth of straight, light blue-grey lines that seemed to work from his hips up to his spine like the roots of a tree.

"You knew someone like Braig? I pity you." His voice caused her to bring her attention away from his strange tattoos and look up to meet the gaze he was casting over his shoulder.

Lyra laughed at his statement, but there was that name again. "Braig? I thought his name was Xigbar?"

"All of us had other names before we became Nobodies, and the first six of us often slip into calling one another them. You'll probably come across it again at some point." Lyra nodded. So Braig was Xigbar and vice-versa.

"Why are being nice to me?"

Xemnas turned to regard her and sighed. "I'm no longer interrogating you. You will be staying here, and there really isn't a lot you can do change that decision. I have no reason to be harsh any longer."

"Wow, you're not the Superior of Organization XIII I use to hear about. You seem…a lot less sadistic."

Xemnas turned around and began walking back to where he had been before she and Xigbar had come in. "We were made out to be the most horrid of monsters in those tales, I'm sure." She didn't reply, which was answer enough for him, but she was following. He decided to change the subject, "So while we're working would you rather I put back on my shirt?" Lyra shook her head as she answered, "No, I'm fine."

"Good, I didn't have one to begin with."

Lyra felt blood rush to her face again, but her grin returned fully. Maybe living here wouldn't be so bad. She knew she had thought that before, but didn't mind the repition. "What do I need to do?"

"How about clean?" Xemnas spoke to her the same as he would any of the others and was once again facing her.

Lyra nodded accepting his mock in stride but not flinching from it like she would have earlier.

"Then, let's spilt up the showers first. I've already cleaned this one." His hand gestured to the nearest one to him. "You can clean the far one and I'll clean the middle. We'll decide what to do next when we're done. I've already got the bleach and stuff out. That bucket is just plain soap water and you already know where the wash rags are right?"

"Uh huh." She then started over to her assigned stall. "Wait a minute, Lyra." She paused, but didn't face him. It seemed neutral enough. "Before you start cleaning, where are you from? I know it's not Ssendam." He saw her stiffen, but she braved the fear and pivoted. Her wide eyes stared at him.

"I'm not angry," the soothing use of the words were necessary and he smiled genuinely enough. He was rather impressed that she had faced him to take whatever he would say, but there would be no punishment. He let her relax before he continued. "It was a good move on your part, shows your character. You did not know who we were, thus you did not reveal anything to us. You may not have realized it at the time, but it was sign that you truly did not wish your life disposed of. If you still are uneasy about revealing that world, I will understand. I will not force an answer from you. You can take your time or if you wish, I don't ever have to know. It was just mere curiosity." If any of his words were less than exact it was his last sentence. Truth be told, to him it no longer mattered where she was from. She seemed well educated and cooperative, really, that's all he needed to know for how to deal with her. Anything else would be extracted later.

"How did you find out?"

"Zexion. The man loves puzzles and when he could find no world existing by the name of 'Ssendam' he scrutinized it and found out it spelled 'madness' if you inverted the letters."

Luxord had shortly described all the members of the Organization the previous night and she remembered now that he had mentioned Zexion, or better yet, "The Cloaked Schemer". She should have known. Luxord had informed her of his affinity with puzzles and his power over what was referred to as illusion.

"Stehen, I came from a world called Stehen…Check it out if want, but please leave the inhabitants alive." Her tone was teasing, but inside she was making that precaution. You didn't have to be totally heartless to be a murderer.

Xemnas saw through her banter, but played along. "I'll be sure the scouts know to behave themselves."

So he was going to send a reconnaissance group. "Wait... you're not going yourself?"

Xemnas smiled, "I have a castle to run." Though she didn't say anything the longing to kid him about being lazy or overly cautious was there. For that split moment the pain of her banishment returned, and she wished she was only dreaming. She missed the familiarity of being around the other _Elite_…She missed Stehen. She let the subjects drop in her mind, however, and picked up her cleaning supplies and made her way to her shower.

* * *

Xemnas stared down at the toilet he was to be cleaning for what seemed the third time. He felt himself grow more nauseous than he had been previously. He jiggled the handle again trying to flush the horrid clump in the bowl away again. He could hear the sounds of scrubbing from the stall beside him. Lyra was diligent in her work, but whether it was because she was occupied by her own thoughts or that she was still uncomfortable with being around him, they had spoken rarely since they had begun with the showers.

Xemnas sighed. He could take the showers putrid with mold, mildew, and soap scrum. He could vanquish the sinks grimy in a plethora of stains, but this toilet he stood before, clogged with feces--no. He backed up and out of the stall.

"I think we should switch."

The scrubbing stopped and Xemnas opened the stall to see Lyra turned to him still on her knees, gloves wet and covered with suds. "I don't think that's an option; I've already started. What's wrong with yours?"

Xemnas crossed his arms, the cold latex of his gloves a strident contrast against his tanned skin. "…There's a giant pile of shit in mine. Someone didn't flush." After having been witness to that awful plop of human excrement, all formality had left him.

Lyra's body fell in relaxation. "Oh, don't be so finicky. Flush it yourself." Xemnas's already apparent frown grew deeper, "I already tried."

"Then get a plunger--you do have one of those right?--and fix it."

"You're kidding."

Lyra tilted her head, "Actually, I'm very serious."

"It's nasty!" Yes, he was nearly whining, no, he didn't care.

Lyra returned to scouring. "No, once you've had to both witness birth and help with it, what's clogging up the toilet is nothing. I mean, I'm sure you know where babies come from, but to actually observe it enter the world…It's all slimy and covered with this thick white mucus…and there's blood everywhere…and sometimes a women deprecates during birth so there could be that to deal with." She heard Xemnas gag.

"And then you have to clean all that off the baby…and the you have to remove mucus from its airways and you have to stick your pinky in its mouth and swab it. And you give back to the mother and you've only wiped the newborn with a towel and she kisses it…Just like that germs and--" The door slammed behind her. "I'm getting the plunger!" Lyra smirked.

"So," Xemnas began as he worked to remove the clog, "you were a midwife on your world along with serving in the military?" Lyra opened her mouth, but the sound of flushing interrupted her. "Success!" Xemnas exclaimed softly, and she soundlessly giggled.

"Yes, you could say that. It was part of the job description I had as a member of my world's top soldiers. If myself or Kirsti," she saw no reason to speak of her fellow guard members with caution; it wasn't like she'd ever return to Stehen--that caused a prick in her chest, but she ignored it, "depending on who was closer, we'd help in the process. On my world it's almost second nature for a girl to be educated in assisting with childbirth…It's a tradition passed from mother to daughter."

"One day you and I must speak more in dept about your partners, but for now I'm more interested in your job. Do you have any special rank?" Xemnas was now furiously scrubbing his toilet bowl.

"No, I am the fourth member out of five, I joined three years ago when I was seventeen…As far as I know, that is the jest of it…I guess it's no different than the workings of your Organization, we help one another and were quite good friends." Xemnas nodded to himself, "Do you have a leader?"

Lyra flushed her toilet and stood up. "Yes, the first one to be appointed the name _Elite_. Damien, heir to the throne."

Xemnas knew she was moving on to the next stall when he heard her footsteps and the door opened as she left her current one. He did not remove his gaze from his fingers as he cleaned, though. "Why are you telling me so much?"

There was a thick silence. She had taken to now cleaning her new lavatory. When even more seconds had passed, he thought she wasn't going to answer. He must have asked the question at the wrong time. Yet just he gave up and resigned himself to the awkward hush Lyra spoke.

"Wh-why not?" There was no mistaking the distress in her voice. She was fighting the sobs elicited by his question. The harsh noise of her brush against the ceramic told Xemnas she was trying to work it off. "I'm never going back there…I was banished without a thought. I was-I was-I was never even told what I had done. There was no jury-No innocent until proven guilty…Just cold, hard accusation. No one attempted to save me. They all watched with solemn faces as I was blind-folded. None of them did a damn thing!" Xemnas heard the brush drop from her hand. It landed with a soft splash in water. Lyra's weeping came next.

He knew she had leaned against the side of the stall for support, he had seen and felt the thud of the thin plastic. "The monarch of my world just started stating my crimes. 'The highest level of treason'…And no one came to my defense…Before I was blinded-folded in Twilight Town, right outside that creepy mansion I saw their faces. Damien was the most stoic of them all. Every single one of them looked like they pitied me--a hell of a lot that did. They all looked disappointed…and Lord Gyo…I could hear the bitter disappointment in his voice.

"Why," she gasped, "why did they abandon me? I could have taken acidic words, but they threw me away to this world of oblivion where I thought I was all alone…They abandoned me, left me to die…and yet I fought for my life with the hope that they would come back. I'm so ashamed to admit that I still hope for that now, but it's not going to happen it is? No, of course not…I mean, why the hell would it? I'm an exile, an ignorant exile, apparently too stupid to realize what I've done."

She was scrubbing again, though her loud sobs did nothing to cease. Xemnas did nothing, but let her speak. She sniggered at herself, the sound warped by her racking cries. "For as long I was here without any other form of sentient beings I raked my mind for any loose step I may have been guilty for. I-I-I still haven't found anything…I don't want to accept that I was callously disposed of." She sniffed, "...and I feel as if I'm being ripped in half. It hurts when I think about my life before now. I hate them all…I hate them…

"I wandered this world, wondering whether delusion, hunger, or the heartless would kill me first. I wondered how long I could avoid going mad in my isolation. I feared death and longed for it at the same time. Do-do you know how that feels? It was too much bear…I couldn't sleep because adrenaline kept me running…I had only the rain to nourish me…so I wasn't dehydrated…yet it wasn't enough…I-I…I HATE EVERY LAST DAMN ONE OF THEM!"

Xemnas didn't flinch when her hand made contact with the side of the restroom stall. "No one cared enough to defend me…No one said a word…All I heard was my breathing and the thundering of my heart. I don't know how long I was immobile…I don't how long I just stared at the blind view the blindfold offered. When I removed it I was hesitant…because I was scared what awaited my uncovered eyes. It was my nightmare…

"I was still living off my whimsical hope of salvation when the twelve of you appeared. It's almost too convenient, you know…that in the moment I needed companions, you all appeared…Organization XIII back from the grave…It's almost enough to make me think I'm might be going crazy."

Xemnas had stood up in the middle of the last minutes of her rant and now stood behind her again. Just as she was finishing she had turned to him. He examined her with a critical eye. "Do you think you're mad?"

Lyra smiled, tears still leaking from her eyes, "No, I mean…I don't think I was warped enough to dream up the twelve you…and since I want companionship I wouldn't invent people who don't particularly have an affinity for me. Besides, if I am going mad…I highly doubt I would have to have been interrogated to be kept here…and I mean I'm cleaning toilets…and I'm pretty sure I wasn't far enough gone to see, smell, and taste the mirage of food…It's just…the minute my denial was the strongest, the moment when I felt the most hopeless and alone…you all came back to life."

Xemnas nodded, "That has been a plaguing question for everyone involved. But are you going to be alright?"

Lyra blinked the tears from her eyes. "Yeah, I'll be fine…I just needed to get that off my chest…Thanks for just letting me vent."

She was given a curt nod, "Let's finish up here and then I think you'll benefit from a visit to Zexion and Vexen; they are more of experts on psychological trauma than I am."

Lyra nodded and sniffled. Xemnas returned to his stall only to flush it and moved to the one beside her.

Was she damaged? She knew that if she was it wasn't permanent. She had company. She wasn't alone anymore and for now that was good enough for her even if some of her housemates weren't the best of people.

"Thanks," she whispered lowly and only for herself, "thanks for coming back." Xemnas heard her, but like before he said and did nothing.

_**(A/N): Well, we updated sooner to make up for the long lag that followed chapter 12 going to 13. After this, we should be back to our usual waiting two weeks between updates. Be sure and review please! PLEASE! Did that sound too desperate? /smile/**_

_**Oh! And Lyra is pretty much almost completely fixed now. She just needed one last give-it-her-all vent. Poor Xemnas, although, surprisingly, I think Xemnas was a good candidate to rant on.**_


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

"Hope dangles on a string like slow spinning redemption..."

-"Vindicated" by Dashboard Confessional

* * *

Xemnas was in his ill-lit office when Xaldin found him. The fair haired man, grateful for the distraction, set down his pen in-between the papers he'd been writing on and gave his colleague his full attention. "Yes?"

"You had to of felt that surge of energy an hour ago. Who or what was it?" Number III asked, straight to the point as usual. His tan button-up and denim shorts bore battle scars from the man's fight with the basement, a task he would be returning to as soon as his curiosity was satisfied.

Xemnas looked down at the red cover of the spiral notebook in front of him and nodded. He was nearly finished recording the exact event Xaldin spoke of and all the details that led up to it. "Would you believe it came from Lyra?" Xemnas asked in complete seriousness. Xaldin raised an eyebrow at this revelation. "I am almost positive that she is unaware of anything." Xemnas clarified. "Currently, I was just writing the incident down as you walked in. You're welcome to look over it now or you can read it later." He said, holding out the unfinished document to the dark haired man.

Xaldin shook his head. "My glasses are in my room and I don't want to strain in this crappy lighting. You should look into replacing that lamp."

"I like the atmosphere it sets." Xemnas said with a smirk.

"We'll see how much you like it when you join me in reading glasses." Xaldin answered. He walked over and sat down in front of the other man. "Give me the overview."

* * *

Vexen stared at the girl, and she in turn stared at the floor. For the most part he was simply here as standby, Zexion was the one running this show.

"Psychological harm? If the information we've been given is correct then I hold no hesitation in saying yes! It's only normal." The blonde stated simply. He let his posture soften and looked over at the silent cobalt haired man against the wall—still protected by a face mask "But that's not the question at all, now is it?"

Zexion straightened up and walked forward. He forced Lyra to lock gazes with him. "Do _you _think you're hopelessly damaged?" He was satisfied when she shook her head no. "You don't seemed distressed right now."

"Do you think I'm crazy?"

Vexen snorted but his expression reflected neither scorn nor reproach. "In what aspect, child: the fact you almost convinced yourself that you created twelve people to keep you company?"

Lyra shook her head, "No, the fact that I-I feel relieved, yes, that's the emotion. I let enough of my self-pitying out that I feel emancipated. It's scary that for the longest I've felt nothing more than minute happiness and a torrid hope, but just, I guess, half an hour ago I found myself released from the melancholy pressure, even if it's just temporary."

"You're coping-"

"That's the proper term for it." She nodded to Zexion's words and Vexen's interruption.

The younger of the two didn't to seem to acknowledge the intrusion and continued, "An experience such as yours is not something you get over within hours. From the state of your clothing, and excuse me, your rashness, I would surmise that you have been on this world for more days than your psyche could bare. We would have been fools to believe that you would instantly recover from it. Don't worry, all possibilities down that road have been properly explored and managed." In other words, had she truly gone mad, they would have dealt with it accordingly.

"Dealing with Heartless is no day in the park," Vexen replied and pulled the chair from Lyra's desk. He took a seat.

Lyra shrugged, "Their numbers are what frightened me. I've never seen a group so large."

His interest piqued the scientist leaned forward. "You have Heartless on your world?"

"Yeah, not too many, though, and they're fairly harmless because of their dwindled numbers. Since seven years ago their numbers have only continued to decrease. Stehen is fairly peaceful, a little odd with it being so close to Twilight Town and all the oddities that go on there."

Zexion smirked, "Ah ha! I knew you didn't come from 'Madness'…So Stehen then?"

Lyra chuckled, "Yes, Stehen…Yeah, Xemnas told me that you found me out."

"I think you're fine." Vexen smiled as her attention fell back to him, "You're not crazy, just a little depressed, nothing too surprising. You'll recover since you have company with which you can easily relate, though I must admit your exile remains strange. You have absolutely no idea what could have moved them to dispose of you?"

Lyra's head fell and she shook her head, "None."

"If some of us were to go there would you want to come as well? You couldn't leave us, unfortunately as our re-existence is still unsolved, and I think we're content with it being kept that way for the time being, but-"

"No." The reply was quick and the air of finality around it bitter.

"They truly jaded you, didn't they?" Zexion's voice was now sober.

Lyra clenched her fists. "I have cried enough today, and I have dwelled long enough on it to accept that I have been banished, even if the terms of it elude me. I wanted revenge at first, longed for nothing more than to return just to throw in their faces that I survived. I've nursed darker thoughts too..."She took a deep breath and finally returned her gaze to the men attending to her. Her eyes were bright with unshed tears, but there was a determination there.

"If I were to ever meet any of my old friends again, I would be civil. I would take enough joy in seeing their faces when they see I'm not dead. I will not pursue them, though, I am here with the twelve of you and now in return for keeping me—it's probably expected anyway—I will be cooperative."

"Those are rash words," Vexen commented, but his tone was not condescending, "and if we were to decide to pursue less than moral goals?"

Lyra's eyes widened, and in her expression fear was evident as she contemplated all that those words could mean. Old stories were rushing back and although she had been toying with the idea that most of the accusations were false, she gathered from the man's tone that truth lie behind more than what she would like to admit. She turned away. "I most honestly will not guarantee my participation."

"You would refuse?"

"Almost certainly." She said it in such a way to leave doubt but ultimately the answer was well understood.

Zexion saw the logic in Vexen's approach. "_Are_ you certain? Look at us and repeat that."

She followed his command. Her jade eyes met his. "I will refuse to help you in anyway if you decide to pursue tabooed inhumanities." Death was worth that right? Would it even come to that? What would it matter if she helped or not?

Zexion and Vexen traded a glance. They both smirked, and the fear in her face was becoming more apparent.

"Then," Zexion turned away, "if that is your decision…" He smiled too sweetly. "I suppose my verdict is…You're absolutely of sound mind and judgment. You are suffering from the predictable mood swings associated with depression and coping with the sudden upheaval of your life, and that is all."

Vexen added his own two cents. "You are not irreversibly damaged, and I do assume you'll recover…You are—I suppose you could say—in good hands. You can stop fearing banishment. Although, I can honestly say we're far from the best of people, we're not insensibly cruel. We never were and will never be searching for a way to rule the cosmos either so get that out of your head now."

Lyra sighed and smiled, her eyes closed tightly. "I knew that… You were searching for what the Heartless took from you: your hearts. I was taught that a being whose heart was no longer intact within had lost their soul. They were beasts, and the humanoid ones…Well, the stories I was told do not seem too relevant. You guys have souls I'm pretty sure now. So if you lost your heart…what does that amount to in truth then?"

Vexen's expression remained empty. Zexion turned back around and critically evaluated her. She had opened her eyes at their prolonged silence. She fought the urge to shrink away from the intensity both men afforded her. Had her question been too personal? Should she apologize? She opened her mouth as if to say something but instead turned away.

She had been told earlier in her life what the answer was, but could she be sure that it was the truth? Everything from six years ago had been told to the ears of a child.

"It is personal, and you're not going to tell me yet, I understand." Apparently they were unprepared to release the information, it would be a little longer before any of her assumptions were proven true or false. She was willing to wait, nevertheless; from her observations, the information seemed incorrect, but she wanted to be positive. If they were incapable of feeling emotions, and everything they demonstrated was mimicry, she wanted to know.

Their glares dulled. They seemed almost regretful for the way they had acted. "It's not that we don't want to tell you, it's…we're not sure if we _should _tell you." Vexen spoke shortly. Ignorance was a factor that affected them all in this situation, and for the time Lyra was better off in the dark. She already knew part of it, all the same conclusions they themselves kept coming to and in all honesty, eleven years wasn't long enough to go much beyond that.

Previously, they had only taken the façade of "emotionless beings" because it was easy: they had found no evidence to support the 'hypothesis' however. Ansem the Wise had no prior knowledge on the workings of a nobody and had never been one himself, so how could he truly know? This theory, was nothing of the sort—it was nonsense, plain and simple. Yet if she was allowed only to go off of that man's idiotic musings, then what would her reaction be?

Lyra nodded, "Saix said the same thing to me…" She sighed, but she supposed she understood, it was just a little frustrating.

Vexen nor Zexion knew how to react to the statement. One part of them preached comfort while another urged that she should be left to sort through her musings herself.

"Well, sorry," Vexen sighed, "I think you fail to realize the consequences an answer could offer…You will be told as soon as we believe you prepared to hear the reply." Yes, it sounded a little harsh, and with Vexen saying it, the quote was definitely given an abrasive edge. Lyra once again merely nodded.

"Let's go report that she's as stable as is to expected," Zexion suggested. The air of the room was becoming uncomfortable. They had broached a subject best left unanswered for the moment. It would only bring about annoying ponderings when the mind was best left centered on another task. Yet, that was human nature.

"A few last words," Zexion began, "You should try to think of your life as a book. Although the last chapter you were in was great while it lasted, it's time to turn the page to the next one and see what is waiting for you there. Your old life might offer you pain now, but it's all a part of building a story. So, try not to stay in the past because, generally, time moves forward."

They voiced their leave and the door shut quietly behind them.

* * *

They glimmered, floating into the sky as they were. Through the ebony canvas, marred by nothing but millions of stars, these glittering objects were hidden. They seemed no different than the immobile diamonds, except if one were to stare long and close. Stars did not move, these did.

Weaving across the eternal darkness of the mobile sky, these objects--these hearts skittered lazily. Over buildings and streets, bypassing one star after another; they ethereally glided over the chasm encompassing the imposing ivory castle.

The hearts could give no mind to the reawakened inhabitants of the fortress. They had no sentient thought. Instinct, or perhaps an eternal path unseen by any eye called them. They did not protest their destiny, led it seemed by an invisible siren.

The reasoning behind their path was dusty and recorded long ago in the creation of the universes. All hearts were called here, in the midst of the realm of darkness. Why were such pure things--they become so after their release from the soul and shell--summoned here? Why did they come? No one knew or no one said anything. Any guess was as good as another, but no deterrence was given to the hearts. Up they rose into the sky.

Maybe ten had so far gathered together. They reached a point in the air and, still concealed by the present stars, they themselves halted in their progress and became immobile. If one were to observe at a distance they appeared no different than their jeweled brethren. Yet beyond the horizon more were coming; more hearts were migrating.

Kingdom Hearts was being reborn.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

"If he doesn't show up in ten minutes…I'm going to go find him." It had been about thirty minutes since Xaldin had returned to the first floor from his talk with Xemnas. Xigbar had yet to meet back up with them in all that time. "We agreed upon an hour's break. Not to adjourn till tomorrow!"

Lexaeus chuckled, "You know Braig..." The two men sat in one of the empty and broken first floor hallways. The lights still flickered down there as if just about to go out and it was making Xaldin irritable as he blinked against the disorienting affect of the faulty fluorescents bouncing off the white walls. Obviously, the char marks weren't enough to lessen the glare.

Xaldin frowned, "Exactly why I give him ten minutes before I go and get him myself. Normally I'd be fine with his procrastinating and idle nature, but not today. We just have too much to do." As if to prove his annoyance he picked up a large piece of rubble and chucked it at the inconsistent light bulb, shattering it and dimming one section of the hall substantially. It would help his headache though.

His companion cocked an eyebrow, "Uh huh, of course that's the reason." He said, not commenting on III's solution to the lighting problem.

"Hey, at least-"

"Guys, you'll never believe what I found!" And then Xigbar was there, head peeping above them out of a dark portal. He smiled widely, his one eye crinkling around the edges. He appeared absolutely giddy with excitement.

"About damn time!"

"What did you find?"

The freeshooter ignored Xaldin's remark and focused on Lexaeus's. He somersaulted out of the air and landed in front of the two. "I had to go and find some materials to repair the walls with, but I got distracted. And I found--you want to see it?"

It was then that both men noticed that Xigbar was holding both hands behind his back. They nodded. Xigbar's grin got even wider (if such a feat was possible) and with a dramatic flourish he held out his accomplishment.

"Oh my-"

"Is that who I think it is?"

"Yep," Xigbar declared in triumph, holding the moogle he had discovered on the streets still airborne. "It's Que Stiltzkin!"

The moogle hung limply in his hands, looking as if he wanted to be anything but calm, apparently, however he seemed use to the treatment he received. Yes, he, simply called Que by the Organization XIII members, was a male. When he had been found all those years ago--twelve to be precise--wandering the ivory halls of the castle he been asked his name and then left to his own devices with only the catch that he was to synthesize any items and help the Organization as needed. He could go home and return again as long as he told no one who he was working for. He had never thought bad about any of his castle mates per se, just almost all of the stuff they had been doing off world.

"Hello, kupo."

"Que, you're still alive!" Xaldin ran up to the small mammal and took him from Xigbar's grasp to return him to the ground. Que nodded to his question and with a "thanks" dusted himself off.

"Yes, sirs, still alive here, kupo…though I never expected to see you all again, so imagine my terror and shock when I saw Xig over here on the streets. The man didn't even give me a proper greeting. He just grabbed me and brought me here." He crossed his paws over his chest and shot a look at the man in question.

"Yeah, sorry about that, lil dude. I was just so excited. We had thought you'd died in our downfall as well."

It was then that Que looked down, "Nope. These wings aren't just for looks remember, I escaped at the first sounds of trouble, kupo. I'm sorry about what happened to you guys though."

"Hey, no need to feel sorry," Lexaeus gently patted the moogle's head, "and we're really glad you're back. Would you like to stay here like old times?"

Que's head shot up, the action sending his puff-ball bouncing. "Of course! I was just wondering around here to see if I could find any good synthesizing materials and suddenly I see him…Will I stay? That's a stupid question." He grinned. "And by the way, kupo, I said I was sorry but I also need to add, I TOLD YOU SO!"

"Well, then welcome back." The silent hero felt anything, but stoic now. He, like all the other members as far as he knew, quite enjoyed the little fluff ball's company.

Que glanced around the room, "What happened down here?"

"Explosives," Xigbar answered a little too quickly.

Que shook his head, "I told you something like that was gonna happen. Kupo... So, I'm guessing I wasn't just brought back for a howdy, huh? Want me to help fix up this place, right?"

The gunmen's bashful grin told him all. Que brought his paws out in front of him and waved the lanky elf off , "Well, I'd best get started. You will be feeding me for this, ya know."

Xaldin nodded, "We'll be feeding you everyday, you know the kitchen is open to you anytime."

The moogle brought his fluff ball down and touched it. "Well, then, consider this your all's welcome back present."

A yellow glow began around the strange crimson orb on Que's head as a synthesizing spell was conjured. The magic hit the wall Xaldin had just been leaning against and then it too glowed in the same golden light, all the shattered material cluttering the immediate vicinity clattered and were pulled forward towards the spell. Then in what seemed an instant the wall looked just like it had when it was newly built. Que smirked, "One wall down…" He looked around, "lots to go, but it shouldn't be a problem, kupo."

"Que, you don't have to do all this by yourself. It'd be rude."

He turned and winked at Xigbar, "Ah, it's nothing, Xig… I want this place to look just as good as it did when I first came here…maybe even better. Kupo! And if I have to be the one to do it, then so be it. It's really no problem. Kupo, besides, I'm sure none of you know synthesizing. "

An hour later and the first floor was done and all three men plus moogle were sitting on upturned crates in the cool of the basement. The back wall was still missing and chill wafts of air blew in regularly. No lights were on down there but what was left from those above shone through in places and the stars offered their natural illumination as well. Over all, despite the slight smell of mildew, it was a comfortable place to sit and chat.

"Kupo, so who all is back?"

"We're all back, well…the first twelve at least." Xaldin answered as he shifted, trying to find a comfortable position while the crate groaned in protest, threatening to break if he didn't sit still.

Que nodded and fixed Xaldin with a questioning stare, "It's how I've heard it then, Roxas is with Sora again?"

Lexaeus nodded, "Yeah, not surprising, huh?"

" Kupo. No, I guess not. So Xemnas all the way through Marluxia have come back?"

"Yep, and before you say it, Xemnas was perhaps just slightly pissed about that. I mean he had to deal with Marluxia and Larxene."

Que laughed, "Surprised he didn't just throw them out."

"We're not really sure why he kept them…I guess he sees them as useful and maybe the events at Castle Oblivion were exaggerated." Xigbar continued.

"Well, Axel was the one telling the story."

It was then that a crash reverberated in the room. They jumped.

"What in the worlds was that?"

"Poor Vexen," Lexaeus half sighed, half chuckled, "he probably fell again. He and Luxord are cleaning the first floor bathroom. He's already done it twice before you and Xigbar got here."

"He's liable to break a hip with his old age," Xaldin commented.

Que began to laugh when Vexen's voice cut through the otherwise quiet, "HA! YEAH, I BET _I'M _THE CLUMSY ONE, EH?"

"BLOODY HELL, YOU DON'T HAVE TO SCREAM, I'M RIGHT HERE!"

"You all haven't changed a bit. Kupo... actually, let's hope you have." Que snickered. "Which brings that up. You're all back…How?"

"We know just as much as you. One moment we were dead and then, BAM! we're awake again. And everything's just as we had left it only dirtier. How long have we been gone anyway?"

"Around about six years, if I remember correctly."

"Lyra was right then." Lexaeus muttered.

"Who?"

Xaldin smiled at Que, "We recently acquired a new addition to our lot here. A young lady named Lyra."

Que blinked, "Is she-"

"No, we're damn near certain she still has a heart." Xigbar commented. "No problem at all controlling her emotions."

"How do you figure that?" Xaldin joked, prodding Xigbar in the side.

"Kupo? How'd she get here?"

Lexaeus took over then. He leaned backward a fraction, his back now against what remained of the back wall and look out to the darkness beyond the castle. "From her account, she was exiled."

There was a snort, "Xemnas just gets the best and brightest of society doesn't he?" This was the first Xaldin had heard of her past. There was no real scorn within him but the irony needed some recognition.

Lexaeus grinned, but his next words were not the cause, "Apparently she was innocent."

Que shook his head, "Well, kupo, that's convenient…How long has she been here?"

"We just came back maybe a day ago and she'd been aimlessly walking the streets, fighting the Heartless for a few days prior."

The moogle met Lexaeus's gaze, "She was here when you guys woke up, huh?"

"Yes, in Zexion's piano room."

Que pawed at his chin, "Interesting."

"Yeah, we think so too, but we can't do anything until this place is clean, so it doesn't do any good to ponder what may have happened to have returned us." Xigbar stated. Idly the man pushed back his silver streaked loose ends while he talked, "I mean, we've already jumped aboard that train of thought and turns out the rail lines aren't are laid out yet."

Que shrugged at Xigbar's slightly bitter tone, "Maybe, maybe not, but what else do you have to do while cleaning? Kupo, I mean you've only been back a day, I'm applauding that you're already working on accomplishing _anything_."

Xaldin chuckled, "I know, amazing, huh?"

"Yeah, maybe I was wrong and you guys have changed…kupo. But is it limited only to this new appreciation for sanitation?"

Recovered from his moment Xigbar shook his head impishly, "Yeah, yeah, whatever, what about you? What's been up in your life these past six years? Found a nice Mooglette to settle down with?"

Que squirmed as Xigbar nudged him with a finger and winked suggestively. "No, actually nothing of the sort."

"Geez, that's depressing."

Que snorted, "And you don't put being dead in that category? Speak about yourself why don't you!"

"Well, ya know…All I can recall is perhaps a time prick of blackness and then I was here again. It was kinda like I hadn't died at all, at least mentally it didn't feel like that. Physically, it felt like I hadn't moved in a while, I could swear I could hear my joint's popping for about an hour…I thought I might be getting as old as Vexen."

Que couldn't not laugh at that, but he quickly got back on subject, "Be serious, Xigs. Nothing? I mean, even in death you didn't find your heart? I'd hope that you all would."

Xaldin grinned, "What good would that have done us anyway? Can't really appreciate it if you're dead."

"Well," Lexaeus intervened, "I felt warm, I guess that's how I'd put it, but the feeling was like that place between sleep and awake it felt familiar but slightly out of place. Yet, I don't ever remember the feeling going away…I just woke up, but I didn't feel at a loss."

"Yeah, now that you mention it, before I came back I did feel like that." Xaldin commented, lifting his head away from where it had beed resting against the wall.

Xigbar followed suit immediately, "Me too."

"Maybe you should tell Vexen that, even if the man has noted that reaction happened with him it might help if you tell him you experienced it too. You never know..."

Lexaeus nodded, "We'll do that as soon as possible, Que. It should wait, though…We shouldn't distract him while more important things need to be done. I mean, we want to know why we're back, but we've waited just as long for the return of our hearts. A couple more days won't hurt."

"Whatever, so long as you remember to tell him, kupo…and I'll remind you too, moogle's have extraordinary memories. So you guys are alright?"

"As fine as can be expected," Xaldin shrugged.

"And the girl?"

"A little mopey, but otherwise fine," the gunner supplied.

"That's good. Kupo…So c'mon…what do you want to know?" All three of the men stared at Que. "What? I know you want to know something else."

"How are the Worlds? Have they recovered from the battles?"

Que smiled bitterly, "Recovered, rebuilt, everything…You would barely even recognize some of them. You saw them before the 'Darkness Wars' ended; that's what they're calling those ten years from the fall of Radiant Garden until the defeat of Organization XIII. All in all the Worlds _should_ be prospering." He crossed his small arms again, and glanced around the dim room.

"What do you mean, should?" Xaldin inquired warily.

"As far as I know it's nothing short of rumor, but there is a tale going around of a new enemy, not Heartless or Nobody. Yet, no one knows what this enemy is or if it's just a hoax brought on by the Worlds being in a rather tedious peace. Kupo, refugees are starting to appear again, Traverse Town is supposedly back up and running smoothly… It's mind-boggling…But, I've not seen anything from it. I'd just be on the lookout."

"We will be," Lexaeus promised and the three men shared a stare, something that did not faze the moogle. They were confused, interested, and a little cautious. Should they tell Xemnas of what Que had heard?

"I think Xemnas should hear this." Xigbar solved that problem. "It might be nothing but fancy, but he'd like to know…maybe, on the mere chance it's more than just tall tales, it's connected to our sudden reappearance." Lexaeus nodded to his words. They stood up and Xaldin gestured for Que to come along, "You should tell Xemnas what you've heard yourself…Besides, I think he'd like you see again."

Que nodded, "Sure, sure, let's go. I'm looking forward to greeting everyone again and meeting this girl you've taken in. So tell me, she what you'd call cute?" The three men laughed as Que tugged on the hem of Xigbar's black muscle shirt. They made their way out of the basements.

"Well, I suppose I am the one to ask, huh?" Xigbar winked. "She's alright. She's twenty, I think she said."

"Young, I see," Que nodded, "though Demyx is what, twenty-one? Still...pretty young, kupo."

"Yeah, she's about the age Ienzo was when he turned Nobody…I guess when I put it in that perspective…I understand her position a little better." Lexaeus muttered. "I mean she still has a heart, but she is young and the world has caved in around her."

Xigbar grinned, "That's a way to put it, but she has us!"

Que snorted, "Lots of hope for her then," he mocked, "I mean a perverted sniper and dreds over here are just the start of it. What more could a girl need?" He chuckled to himself, as if he alone were privy to some great and funny joke.

"They're braids!" Xaldin tried to protest, but he consented the slight.

"I know we don't look it, but we're pretty good at cheering people up."

Que nodded, "Well, I expect it out of Xigs, but you and Xaldin, Lex…I mean, it's like trying to picture Xemnas dressed as women and talking like Demyx…It's odd."

"If the scene you just described is merely 'odd', I'm interested in what you'd call 'mentally scarring'." Xaldin jabbed and they started laughing again. Regardless of what all was being said, no one was offended.

At the intersection of a hallway Que paused, "Guys?" Once he knew he had their attention on him he spoke his mind, "I'd like to go see Xemnas by myself. Kupo, you should stay focused on whatever it was you were suppose to be doing," he grinned, "or else it'll never get done; besides, with you guys following me it'll draw attention and I want to surprise everyone, so I'm going off. Could you not tell anyone you saw me?"

The three men smiled, "Of course," Lexaeus nodded.

Xigbar gave him a thumbs up and Xaldin walked over and bent down. He hugged him gently, "Hey come back when you're done having fun, we'll help you set up again and get you a place to stay."

Que patted Xaldin's cheek with his paw, "Alright, see ya." He was released and then he began to hover. He passed by his three companions, his small wings strumming in rapid succession.

Once he rounded the corner he heard a thud as Xigbar punched Xaldin playfully, "Sap."

He had forgotten how big the castle was. Even when using the contraptions in the center of the castle instead of the stairs, he was beyond thankful when he reached Xemnas's room. He turned the knob and pushed the door in slightly before floating to the ground. He tentatively pushed the door open more and when there was enough space he entered the room.

"Kupo, you've really let this place go since I was last here," he greeted, satisfied at the look of astonishment that crossed over the Superior's face. It seemed he had raised his gaze to the door once it had begun to open.

"Que?" He asked in disbelief.

The little moogle bowed, "The one and only."

Xemnas stood up and pushed his chair behind him with such enthusiasm that it loudly banged against the wall. He cringed, but smiled widely at Que as he emerged from behind his dark desk. Que observed with much amusement that Xemnas was holding himself back. The Superior wanted nothing more than to launch himself at the creature, but he held his composure neatly. That was one point of great pride the little moogle took. No matter how these people presented themselves to the Worlds outside, they always seemed to act like kids where he was concerned.

Que cocked an eyebrow as Xemnas squatted to his knees before the moogle and held out his hand. Of course the hand was taken, but instead of giving the man a handshake, Que latched onto the appendage and began climbing up Xemnas's arm.

"Kupo, it's nice to see you again, Xemnas," He said, and wrapped his arms around the man's neck.

Xemnas didn't move for a moment, but when he did he brought up a hand and patted the moogle on the back and closed his eyes, "It's good to see you again too."

Que smiled and Xemnas let him down. "I've already ran into Xigbar, Lexaeus, and Xaldin…They said that every single one of you was back excluding Roxas."

"They were telling the truth," Xemnas had returned to his seat and gestured for Que to join him at his desk. "For some strange reason we have all returned, but I'm not complaining."

"What do you hope to accomplish this time? Still searching for your hearts?"

Xemnas leaned over the mess of papers he had been sorting through when Que had entered. "Our hearts? Yes, they remain a major objective, but after that I am not sure what there is to accomplish."

"How about the basics, then?" Que gestured with his paws around the room, "Assimilate back into normal society. Taking your past names in this day would not be noticed I'd say…Kupo, I've seen on some Worlds I've worked on that people are actually naming their kids that awful name you use to possess, 'Xehanort' right?"

Xemnas chuckled, "I don't consider it awful…but that is a little out of the ordinary."

Que grunted, "You're telling me, kupo."

"I'm not sure how things are going to go. At this point I don't even have a plan. Obviously I can't rely on the Kingdom Hearts idea any longer."

"Good, kupo."

Que sighed, but saw Xemnas's contrite smile, "It is the past, what happened then does not affectively burden me greatly. I think that maybe enough time has passed, I wouldn't even bother asking others for forgiveness, who would give it? However, I will admit our behavior was not the best in the situation. Though the goals remain the same, we will not be working towards them in the same way." The man's voice remained bitter at the failure.

"Here here to that," Que sniffed, "I never for once thought what you guys were doing was going to accomplish anything, but your deaths…You never listened to me on that, though."

"And I am sorry for that, my friend."

Que let the subject drop, enough had been said of it, he decided and moved on. "Xaldin told me the Organization has replaced Roxas with a young girl, Lyra."

"Yes?"

Que shrugged, "I've not met her, but two, three, and five don't seem to have anything against her. Xigbar seemed to think she's okay, no surprise there."

"Yes, it's not, Braig has always been, well, a very 'positive' personality…Lyra has had limited interaction with Xaldin and none whatsoever with Lexaeus, that I know of. Most members have seen her at her worst…She has recovered extensively since then."

"Is her story true then? Was she wrongly exiled?"

"According her, and I am quite sure I believe it. She has not mislead us on any grand scale, and I-"

"Kupo...You pity her," Que grinned, "you empathize with her because you can understand the abandonment she must have experienced." Xemnas glared down at his hands. "And they say you don't possess a heart." Que snorted at the disdainful look he received for his crooning. "Ok, ok, I'll stop. Has she met Luxord yet?"

"Yes."

"She doesn't know his story though, huh?"

Xemnas shook his head. "I'm not even aware if she's been told that there is one in our own ranks who has shared her fate, though none of us are sure whether she needs it or not. If you think about it, a good number of us are exiles. But yes, Luxord's was more formal and matching her experience."

Que shrugged yet again, "On Port Royal, I wouldn't doubt his offense was small. Kupo, I mean, they are a little archaic in their methods, though not as much as Saix's world."

Xemnas chuckled, but he rolled his eyes, "I've just realized we've gotten way off subject…Your life these six years?"

"Well, it's not my fault someone likes to hear themselves talk," it was Xemnas's turn to snort at that, but Que rifled on, "but, let's see, kupo. I continued doing what I've been doing, running synthesis shops with my brothers and sisters. I only came here to scavenge some items, maybe some rare synthesizing materials and I ran into Xigs. Lex offered me my previous position in the castle, and if you are fine with it, I would like to follow through the offer."

"If you would like that, then I guess all I can say is welcome back and I know it'll be a pleasure doing business with you."

Que grinned, "That's quite settled then."

"So where had you been working before you decided to come back to us?"

Que brought a paw up to his mouth and nervously touched his bright, red nose. He knew that after this his obligation to tell Xemnas what was spreading in the worlds would be necessary. "I was working in the Traverse Town shop."

"Traverse Town, I knew that place still existed, but it had become a ghost town in the year my Organization was defeated."

Que diverted his gaze at Xemnas's wary tone, "I understand your thinking, kupo, but something's happening in the universe, and it causing people to migrate once again."

Xemnas leaned forward, his attention piqued. He had at some point during the previous discussions been lounging comfortably back in his chair. Que met his intense, inquiring stare. "I think it's all bologna, if you ask me, but people are fleeing from a terror that is said to be wiping out whole world populations. I could not tell you the names of the worlds that are said to be affected, and so that is why I doubt. The worst thing is the enemy--if there is one--is not only nameless, but it's supposedly Light. Most of the people in Traverse Town have merely come there in fear, but there are some who claim to have escaped a calamity."

"Another enemy?" Xemnas looked side long at the moogle, "Why so dubious, Stilzkin?"

"Kupo, other than hearsay, I've seen no evidence of anything existing--other than Nobodies or Heartless--with such a destructive power. I think it's only rumor caused by an uneventful and lulling peace," he was only defending so strongly because he didn't need Xemnas getting any "extravagant" ideas. "I told Xigs and the other two that it wasn't either of the two species of creature we're familiar with. Kupo, there's not enough of _them_ left to mess with worlds at the scale I've heard. Xemnas, it's probably nothing, but they thought you should know…I didn't want to tell you because I don't believe a lick of it." He couldn't help using a phrase he'd heard Demyx use often before.

In reality, there very clearly could be something going on. The moogle's main objective was to keep Xemnas only mildly interested, if he continued to down play the matter then there was less of a chance that things could go horribly wrong for his Nobody friends.

"I see." Xemnas crossed his fingers. Que stood up in his chair, "Promise me, Xemnas, that you won't go nuts. It's probably nothing…They only wanted me to tell because, they said, and I believe them kupo, that it might have something to do with why you're all back."

Xemnas smiled, "Don't worry, we'll do nothing until we're absolutely sure that something's really is going on." He was a very one track minded person to some extent anyway. He never liked to start another task before he was finished with what ever he was doing currently; already there was enough on his 'to do' list that he was happy to grant Que his request of laying low.

Que nodded and he couldn't help himself, "Of course, but Xemnas, if this threat is real…what are you going to do?"

"If there is a threat to the universes…then I guess Organization XIII can take on a redemption mission along with the retrieval of our hearts. Someone, somehow would have found out we were back anyway…and it'll probably take defeating a threat like this to deliver us from the history books for terrorism."

Que jumped down, his demeanor shifting. "Don't tell anyone we met yet…I'm going to go find the others…I want to pleasantly surprise them, or in Vexen's case, give them a heart attack." Xemnas snickered at that, but the gesture was a hollow one. He watched Que step from the room before putting his focus back on his papers, the possibility of another threat prodding his mind dimly.

* * *

The impact sent Que flying. His eyes widened a fraction: well Saix was excited to see him. The elf had basically tackled the bed in his elation. The moogle had been sitting upon the neatly made white blankets to await the Berserker's return; he hadn't been expecting this, but as he thought of the reaction, he found he should have known this was going to happen. Saix was renown in his extreme moods, one side effect of not having a heart to moderate things and his species' already admirable reputation for intensities.

Que did not hit the ceiling, though he marveled at the height he did reach. He stared down as he began to descend. He smiled at the sight below him.

Saix lie on the bed beneath him, sprawled on his back, his light blue locks splayed around him. His golden eyes were alight with excitement and his arms were open wide.

Que landed directly on Saix's chest. The elf had given the slightest of grunts but no sooner had he settled on the his chest, Que found himself in a tight embrace.

"Que, you're back!" Que laughed at the child-like enthusiasm in Saix's voice.

The moogle turned slightly in the hug and gripped Saix's brown button-up. He pressed his cheek further into his captor's chest. "Yep, here I am. Not dead yet, kupo! So, I see you're doing alright."

Saix-- who didn't mind that in the vicinity of his room where no else could see that his stoic exterior was ruined-- nodded and lessened his grip on the moogle and sat up, still holding the mammal close his chest. Que, once again, however had other ideas. He crawled up to sit on Saix's shoulder.

"So, Sai, how's it going?"

The man turned his head, his face losing its excess joy and replacing it quickly with a more didactic expression. "Everything is fine, I guess."

"Yeah, I can imagine cleaning was a treat."

Saix chuckled, but nodded, "Yes, and watching over the renegades wasn't any better."

"Yes, I just finished speaking to all of them. Do you ever think the Castle Oblivion incident may have been embellished just a little?" Saix was silent then, but he finally conceded, "Often times, of course. But knowing Marluxia... you never can tell."

"You really think so?"

Saix gave a gruff sigh, "We'll probably never know the whole of it. Takes away from any unwinding time I might have had."

Que grinned, "You're watching them?"

"Closely." Saix grinned deviously, an expression Sora and company would have recognized immediately. The Saix from the downfall of Organization XIII was returning, and maybe anger had a role in that, but it mattered not. He chuckled darkly.

"You have no idea, Que." He said, "As to just how complicated this all is."

_**(A/N): Well we've already thrown Saix's origin out there, so here's me just adding some out side musings. The **__Silmirillion __**elves were nuking futs! Any Tolkin fan can admit to that, at lest a bit. So poor Saix now going without a means of control to those extreme emotions… he's a little manic from time to time. On another note, the moogle is honestly from the game, we just gave him a first name.**_


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

Kairi smiled as she pulled back the heavy, light blue curtains of her living room window. Doing so allowed in the late afternoon sun which painted her sky gray carpets yellow-gold. '_It's picture perfect.' _A small voice whispered in her mind.

Kairi smiled at the sentence then began instead to wonder where Sora was now and how he might be doing. She chuckled to herself quietly, if _she_ was feeling abandoned she could only imagine how his widowed mother felt. "I'm going to have to invite her over more often." She said out loud to no one in particular. '_That would be nice.' _

Two children were playing together in the yard across from her home and three houses down the street Wakka was out mowing his lawn. Another normal day this side of the island. "What would you like for dinner Ms. Kairi?" Yanna asked, coming up from behind her. Well, not particularly normal: Kairi had been used to living alone… well, sort of. Namine had never become a suppressed personality but remained sentient within her, though she never told anyone.

The red head turned to look at her best friend's wife. The woman looked exceptionally exotic today, wearing overlapping silks of orange, red, and yellow that complemented her tan complexion and brought out her ornaments. Kairi felt a little plain in comparison, looking down briefly at the simple purple button-up and blue jeans. "Oh, you don't have to worry about that. I'll make supper!" She said cheerfully and made her way through the open doorway to the connected kitchen. "Is there anything in particular you were wanting tonight?" She asked politely as she started her exploration of the cabinets. "I'm getting a little tired of fish myself."

'_Me too. How about chicken?'_

"No, I'm not thinking of anything in particular." Yanna said, watching with some amusement the facial expressions of her host. It had been five days since they'd become roommates and the other evenings had all passed in similar fashion come meal time.

"This is going to sound silly," Kairi began, "but I'm kind of glad Riku's such a worrywart. I love having company. In the past I would never have thought me becoming a hermit a possibility in my future." She joked.

Yanna smiled as the lanky female now paced back and forth between the cabinets and the refrigerator. "When all the danger is over and this conflict resolved, you're welcome anytime to come over and join us for meals…since Sora is gone so often."

Kairi gave a half smile at the offer while at the same time her fingers wrapped around a box of noodles. "I wouldn't want to intrude. Thanks anyway."

Yanna walked over and friendlily placed both her hands on Kairi's shoulders supportively. "Sora has a young heart. He is not yet ready to give up his sense of adventure. Give it time though, he'll learn soon enough. He cannot stay dense forever." She smiled reassuringly and Kairi found herself returning the expression.

"Let's hope you're right." She looked down at the food in her hands and held it out to her guest, unaware of when her hand had grabbed it. "This fine with you?"

"Yes. I like pasta!" With that she hugged Kairi familiarly, "You look sad." A half gurgle interrupted whatever else she had been planning to add to that. Eva was finished with her nap. Yanna grinned and took the noodles out of the other woman's hand. "You need a distraction!" She chirped. "She's not crying, so you go get her and I'll make dinner." She said gently shooing Kairi out of the kitchen.

Once the red head was gone, the Indian walked over to the stove—luckily it was of the same make as Riku's so that she knew what did what. The update in technology had taken a few days to get used to but as it stood now, she virtually kept her husband out of the kitchen with her wonderful culinary skills. "You are in for a treat my friend!" Yanna called after Kairi before pulling out a pot and pan before heading to the pantry to quest for spices.

Kairi returned a minute later with her arms full of a giggling four month old. She sat herself down at the table sideways to face Yanna and balanced Eva on her lap, making motorboat noises with her lips. To this she won squeals of excitement from the baby girl. There was something about babies, she decided, that automatically put a person in a better mood.

Her antics were soon interrupted by a knock at the door. Kairi cast a quick glance at Yanna before getting up—tucking Eva against her side—and trekking to the front door. She was surprised to find Cid standing nonchalantly on her stoop, discreetly working on stomping out a cigarette butt and kicking it into the grass. "Evenin'." He said with a bow of his head and extending a hand to pat the baby on the head.

Kairi peeked around him questioningly, "Just you that's stopped by?"

"Yep. Sora's off to Land of Dragons last I heard and Riku is the reason I'm here." He answered.

Kairi backed out of the doorway and motioned for the pilot to come in. "Is something wrong?"

'_I hope everything is alright…'_

"I'll let you decide on that. Since he married sensibly and his wife is here, I won't be bias."

"Won't be bias?" Kairi was confused. What was Riku up to? And what was Sora doing?

"Would you like to stay for dinner? There's going to be more than enough." She offered while leading the way into the kitchen where Yanna was busy at work browning meat and the water slowly coming to a boil.

"Nah, wouldn't want to barge in—I've got plenty of munny, I'll pick something up in town." He replied politely even as his nose betrayed him with a long intake of the cooking food.

"Nonsense!" Yanna yelled in surprise from the stove. "We would be most pleased if you joined us." She said waving a plastic spatula at him in emphasis.

Cid grunted a laugh and sat down at the small oval table against the wall, "Well, alright then."

Kairi joined him, reclaiming the seat she had occupied earlier and sitting the baby in her lap so that Eva was laying back against her stomach for support. Cid reached for the infant and she, in turn, held up her arms to be taken. "So, what was it you were saying earlier?" Kairi asked, bringing the subject back to off-world matters.

"Right. Yanna, your husband is an idiot." He said, completely overlooking his previous vow of objectivity.

A look of slight indignation passed across the foreigner's features but she quickly picked up on the tone of affection in the man's voice. "What makes you say that?"

Cid looked at Kairi before answering, knowing that only she would know the true significance of what he was about to say. "He's trying to bring back Organization XIII."

Kairi jumped to her feet, "He's what!?"

"Well, by my reckoning—if his plan worked—they should already be back." He turned back to Yanna, "Yesterday, Riku showed back up at Radiant Garden. Seems the few days he'd been gone he's spent on one world: Stehen. There, he's won us some allies it seems—two whole armies' worth he says.

"He had come back to the Garden to return the ship we had loaned him and it just so happened that I was on break in the Gummi hanger and came across him. He told me he was waiting on his new Stehen buddies to come pick him up—that they were all off to Disney Castle. He wanted me to come check in on you guys, double check that the nasties hadn't made their way here. Well, while we were waiting he briefly filled me in on how his week had gone and when the two ambassador ships arrived minutes later I got to meet the small embassy personally. And as the bugger was getting onto the ship—I know he stalled on purpose—he told me speedily, 'Oh yeah, I'm resurrecting the Organization, should get results by the end of next week. See ya Cid!' and shut the door before I could get at him." There may have been some exaggeration in what Riku actually said, but Cid didn't think that was important.

"What could he be thinking?" Kairi asked, fighting the urge to pace the floor. '_Ask about Sora's reaction.'_ Namine prodded, hoping by that to glean something about Roxas' possible reaction. If there was a way to bring back nobodies…

"How did Sora take all of this?"

Cid was gently bouncing Eva on one khaki clothed knee calmly, he'd already started coming to terms with all this. Now, it was Kairi's and Yanna's turn. "Sora doesn't know, and I don't reckon he should just yet." Cid answered. "Your water is boiling."

"Aya!" Yanna exclaimed and hurriedly poured in the noodles, stirring down the overflow. "Thank you." She said with a smile. What Cid told her confused more than worried her. Sure, Riku was often telling her of his past so she knew the people they were talking about. However, Yanna had complete confidence in her husband and was resolved not to be overly concerned.

Kairi took her seat again and a moment of quiet passed, accented only by the sizzle and bubble of the stove. "How are things at your home?" Yanna soon asked, not liking the awkward hush.

"Manageable." Cid answered with a shrug. "Leon has called for people to start pulling into the main city—trying to cut down on the number of citizens isolated on farms and in little towns. Rooms have been prepared inside the castle and old Bastion for the influx of refugees. The farmers weren't too happy about having to move, and we've been getting people from as far as Balamb Garden." He reported. "But, we haven't had as many incidents back home as we've heard from elsewhere."

"I see." Yanna nodded while stirring the noodles and dropping in a pinch of only she knew what.

"What do you think—knowing him like you do—Riku intends to do?" Kairi asked, unable to move past that part of the conversation.

"Well, I suppose with this new enemy being Light, he wants some people real familiar with Darkness." Cid answered matter-of-factly.

"Wait…Light is the enemy?" Kairi looked surprised. "What are we in for…" Her voice trailed off as she felt a palpable fear settle in her gut.

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Herumor Ellinmar's fake but polite smile was about to disappear. This woman, Queen Iliana Ecneier, was quite possibly the most irritating person he'd ever met! Okay, he would admit that was only his impatience talking—which only grew larger with every idle sentence she dropped. The visiting monarch had not been able to get a thing in edge wise almost since the moment he and his two escorts were shown into the chamber room. Everything from the weather to family had been touched upon except the topic which was most pressing.

Herumor glanced to his right; Oleander was looking forward disconnectedly, apparently admiring the bookcase along the back wall: his dark cyan eyes were anything but vacant however. The king took courage in this. To Herumor's left, his young esquire Everst seemed to be struggling with a restlessness that was about to surpass his lord's. 'Please keep still.' The youthful monarch plead mentally. No matter how trivial the talk seemed, this woman was a queen. Although Herumor too was royal, he was the visitor and the elves were far more strict with formality than their human counterparts. Bad manners on his part might brand him for the rest of his life and at seventy-five years with an average of a 300 year life span to look forward to, he wasn't willing to risk his good reputation.

His ears perked up from their momentary slump—and how he hated the give away that was—when finally Iliana asked, "So, young Herumor, might I now inquire about the reason behind your journey?"

"Finally," Herumor ignored the muttered reply from Everst beside him, but he shared the boy's sentiment; finally! "Have you heard of the strange occurrences erupting in the cosmos?" He rifled off.

"Ah, so it is these that you come to speak of." The king could have sworn there was a slight look of mirth in the queen's silver eyes.

"No, not exactly, though the events may be connected. For the past month the sailors of my clan have been boarding their ships and never returning. The first disappearance I gave no thought to other than what was appropriate for mourning, but when another band of ships met the same fate, I became worried. I sent out a scouting party, but as you can probably guess, they too disappeared. The missing mounted in number. However, just a day ago my brother informed me of the return of a ship that had left port a few weeks prior."

"And you think there is a connection between what has plagued your ships and the troubles that have arisen for our neighboring worlds?" Iliana nodded, all humor leaving her. Any game she might have been subtly playing at Herumor's expense was quickly dropped as the gravity of the situation began to sink in.

"Yes. Of the surviving crew the report has come to us that there are huge beasts now active in the waters of the Eavann coasts. The captain of the lucky vessel described the creature that destroyed it's sister ships as a dragon of fire, skin seeming to cause the whole of the ocean to ignite ablaze." Herumor informed her. "Since Lunthusthra is the oldest out of the elven tribes and your library is twice as large, I've come to ask if there is anything like it in the ancient writings. Some clue as to what it is we are dealing with."

Iliana was quiet a moment, tugging at a few strands of her platinum hair as she dug deep into her thoughts. "A dragon of fire…" She muttered to herself. Her silver eyes flashed up to meet the serious hazel of Herumor's before she nodded. "There might be something. Pardon me a moment." She stood from the high-backed chair behind the desk separating her from her guests and trotted across the room to the door. "Radagast!" She called down the hall for her right hand man and Lieutenant General Radagast Orandri..

Herumor watched her go with some amusement at the completely unprofessional way she conducted herself; then, remembering how long that unprofessional disposition had taken of his time before, he swiftly lost his grin. 'Speaking of sloppy conduct…' He reminded himself, suddenly turning to the purple haired youth to his left, "Everst," The boy straightened at the mention of his name, "you will learn to hold your tongue in the presence of those of higher status than you. You demonstrated great disrespect to me and to the name of the Eauvann with that exasperated comment you let slip. You are to hold all thoughts to yourself until a better suited time arrives. Am I understood?" The reprimand was short and crisp. The boy was young yet and more pressing matters, the king knew, were risen.

His light brown eyes locked on the ground in embarrassment, Everst nodded his head. That had been enough. "I'm sorry." He replied, trying to convey his up most respect through those two words. The young elf was fresh out of military training and the real reason behind this trip besides a much needed field exercise, was that he was one of few hands that could be spared to escort the king.

Herumor spared a small grin at the inexperienced boy and whispered, "If it's any consolation, I agreed with you whole heartedly."

"Seconded." Oleander half sighed, taking a moment to stretch his muscles, unused in the last half hour.

Iliana's return was a swift one and Herumor saw the look of surprise as Oleander rushed to straighten back up in his seat, forest colored tresses leaving a verifiable cape in the wake of the motion. It was time to get down to business.

Radagast was with his queen as she entered the room with a quick step and serious expression. The new comer bowed his head in acknowledgement to the visitors before taking a stand behind Iliana's chair. He wore light leather armor and his burnt orange hair was pulled tightly back, giving him more of an air of authority than the queen herself portrayed. "I think I have it." She announced proudly displaying the age worn documents in her pale, petite hands. She cleared her throat and began to read out loud from the page opened before her, automatically translating the dead language to the common one for the benefit of her listeners:

"_And thus years had passed since the sons of the first and those of the second had vanquished the eternal night and its ruler. Everything was light and life was full and bright, but it was not long before that which was thought good turned._

_As if from the sun, creatures of the hottest imagining appeared in the lands and the lords of the kingdoms once again met, though among them were the faces of new and soft kings. They looked upon the new threat and they were breathless. These creatures attacked from all vital points. _

_They attacked by air, and the tribe of winds was in danger. They assaulted the ships of the Elves of water. By land the moon and earth clans found their own people in danger and the humans met their match as well. It was obvious very quickly that in order to conquer this new foe, born by the sun and light that was once thought to be a saving grace that the people of all races would have to band together once again just like the times of the cold midnight when darkness engulfed all the lands..."_

The queen made a face at what she had just read. "Well, this tells us it's happened before… but they weren't all that descriptive. It seems the author was trying to be more poetic than anything." She sighed and looked back up again at Herumor who seemed to be sharing her thoughts, staring at the aged parchment with displeasure.

"It gives us one thing." Radagast spoke, his grey-green eyes shining as he wove his conclusions, "Just as in the recent past Darkness was defeated, this new anomaly, Light, can also be brought back into balance."

Herumor was nodding. "It appears I judged wrong. We're not about to fight some ancient creature of legend, but an entire element. Again."

"Lord Herumor," Iliana spoke, her voice now appearing to represent her proper maturity as five years Herumor's senior, "I would like to apologize for my blithering earlier. I'm sorry. I merely was joking with you, a test of your diplomacy… To break in your relatively new title as king with mild hazing if you will. I am sorry. To have held up such important matters as this… it is more than rude of me."

Suddenly it all made sense to him. Now knowing the truth, surprisingly, he was no longer irritated. Although, the normal response should probably be that he would be even more indignant, the fact that she gave a reason cooled his temper.

"It's not a problem." Herumor said graciously, now the one with the upper hand. "We shall pretend it never happened."

"Tha-" Iliana was cut short by the sound of trumpets, a sharp tone that meant danger. All that were seated jumped to their feet before the second volley of warnings could be blown out. The sounds of yells were sudden and completely unlooked for, coming in from outside the castle walls.

"Milady!" A breathless servant burst through the doors then bowed before the gathered royalty, "We're under attack! Strange creatures, they're coming from the East!"

Radagast was the first to react. "Stay safe my queen!" He said before sprinting from the room, his orange topknot the only identifiable feature in the streak of blur marking his rapid movement.

Herumor's hand was on his hilt as he mentally tapped into his magic stores, the warm energy awakening to his call and numbing his fingers in anticipation. "Looks like you will be testing your wings far swifter than was thought, Everst." He commented gravely to the quickly paling teenager.

"Come with me!" Iliana instructed with abrupt authority. "To the tower first, no rushing in blindly."

"Sh-shouldn't you stay here ma'am?" Everst questioned in confusion as Oleander and Herumor began to follow her without protest.

"A queen's duty is with her people!" She called, not slowing in her pace but instead speeding up.

"You should worry about staying alive for them then!" Everst said in protest but was running along with the others anyway. His voice of reason was clearly not going to be heeded by the woman, who remarkably enough, grabbed an axe from one of the many suits of armor on display in the corridor they were traveling through. The armor only swayed slightly at her swift passage and although for decoration now, it was clear the weapon had bite in it yet.

It took the group an excruciatingly long three minutes to reach the queen's destination: a spacious tower room overlooking both the northern and eastern fronts of the castle. Below them people were scattered about the grounds, reinforcing the high walls and distributing weapons to those who had none. On the eastern horizon—although it was late afternoon—a radiant glow shown out, suggesting a fire. Marching over the fields, through the scattered houses of the settlements before the castle, were hundreds of iridescent animals.

They were not too unlike the heartless seen on Stehen years before but instead of insect features these seemed to be covered in a glowing coat of fur and bore more resemblance to a dog than a cockroach. Already, some were making their way within the range of the castle's archers but the creatures seemed to undeterred by the shafts; some still charging with seven or more buried into them.

"Well boys," Iliana said with barely contained adrenaline, "They give us just enough time to figure out what the hell they are before they attack. Awfully kind of them to wait." She ran her fingers along the edge of her last minute blade looking at the men before her who also held their weapons at the ready. "We're eleven floors off the ground…" She smiled, opening the window, "who of you is going to have a problem with the jump?"

Without waiting for an answer she leapt up onto the narrow frame, casting an Aeroga spell and jumping into it, allowing the wind to carry her effortlessly to the ground far below.

"That woman is crazy." Everst said in bewilderment and he heard Oleander chuckle at his comment. The purple haired elf turned to face the taller male who was busy pulling his long pine green hair into a messy ponytail, the only thing he could do to be battle ready.

Herumor hopped onto the window frame and turned to his companions, Everst in particular, "Can you manage that level of magic?" His ears perked to the sounds of the battle below, more than half the creatures had scaled over the wall now, engaging the whole of the ground forces. They would need to hurry and to land with energy enough for a long battle.

"I've got him." Oleander said, understanding his king's concern.

Herumor nodded then leaped out the window head first, free-falling within twelve feet of the ground before releasing a well timed Firaga, using the spell's recoil to right himself and cushion his decent. Thirty seconds later he heard Oleander touch down, the elf having chosen Iliana's approach with Everst supported on his back.

It was a melee. The queen had vanished into the crowd of clanging metal and screeching creatures of Light. Oleander came up on Herumor's left to knock one of the things away from his lord who was busy beheading the monster in front of him. "Do not die and that's an order!" Herumor yelled to his adviser who only grunted a reply due to the return of the creature he'd kicked moments before.

From the wall above them, Radagast was barking out orders and wielding duel bayonets, pushing what he could back over the wall to buy time for his soldiers struggling with what had already managed to infiltrate. "Do not scatter! Herd them into groups for the archers! Keep them away from the castle!" His voice boomed across the battlefield and his orders were heeded to the best of his soldiers' ability.

The assailants proved to be hard to manipulate and harder to predict. One thing to the defender's advantage was that they died fairly easily if the elves managed a deeply penetrating blow. They would struggle against the blade before bursting into a shower of light. The biggest difficulty lie in the numbers. For every two they killed five took it's place.

Herumor's sword rammed through an open jaw an into the skull. A sharp pain in his leg alerted him to another one and he brought the limb up in a kick to send the creature flying and into his line of vision, bring his blade to cut it in two. After it's death he had a moment to look around, surprised for the opening. He found Oleander easily enough, he was back to back with a female Lunestrian soldier, the broadsword he wielded had one of the creatures skewered onto it by the front shoulder joint but the added weight did nothing to slow the elf down as he swung the blade and sent the thing flying off and into another that was mid-jump.

Herumor was moving again, still being left alone by the enemy, though he knew the respite would only be momentary. Everst was more difficult to locate. He heard the boy before he saw him. Three of the monsters had him cornered against the entry gate, one of them with the teen's sword between it's teeth. As the other two neared their prey Herumor leapt at them, killing one and surprising the others. His sword now free, Everst took out the other two and nodded shakily to his king, light brown eyes wide in mildly controlled fear.

The older elf patted his shoulder encouragingly, "Their numbers are starting to dwindle." He said, a bit winded by this point. His eyes scanned the area: two stairs on either side of the gate they were standing in front of led up to the top of the wall where most of the action was now concentrated. "Stay close to me." He ordered and took off in the direction of the right staircase and towards the place Radagast had positioned himself.

When he reached the resident General, the elf looked exhausted. Having only used one spell since entering the battle, Herumor—pulling Everst into the range of the spell as well—cast Cure which spun its way around the three of them. Radagast looked at Herumor with complete gratitude before launching one of his bayonets past him and taking out an oncoming creature. "That would have hurt." He commented lightly to the monarch as he bent down and retrieved his weapon.

An explosion behind him and the smell of ozone alerted him to a high level thunder spell. "And that would have hurt more." The breathy feminine voice behind him jeered.

"Iliana!" Radagast looked dumbfounded. "What are you doing out here! You were suppose to have stayed in the castle!"

"Pish-posh! I just saved your life silly." The queen said brandishing her borrowed axe with a light grin. "I'm touched by your concern though."

"Bu-" Radagast was not allowed to finish his thought as he launched to the left to cut off one of the monster's attempt to scale the wall. "I can't believe you let her out here." He said casting a glance at Herumor. The foreign elf shrugged guiltily before swinging to the right to take out another of them. "We will discus this later." The general said at last in defeat.

Minutes passed by like hours but the enemy slowly began to deplete till at last the number advantage shifted. Soon, for every three people there was one creature. The sun was setting in the west and with the oncoming darkness the fight seemed to become even more easy.

When the last of them was struck down all eyes found Iliana, who smiled and held herself like the monarch she truly was. The light blue dress she wore was shredded and her platinum hair was disheveled and dirty but her silver eyes were bright. "And the battle is ours!" Her crisp voice rang out triumphantly. After a hearty cheer from the victors, clean up began.

"We only lost seventeen milady." A soldier reported once things had gotten back to normal.

"Only seventeen?!" Everst spoke up in astonishment form his perch atop one of the wall's turrets.

Iliana shook her head solemnly walking over to where Everst sat and looked out towards her kingdom. "No. Far more than that I should say. We were armed." Her eyes scanned the moonlit landscape in sorrow, "My people who stood in the path of them… they were not."

Herumor came over to stand beside her and offered his silence in condolence. He knew how she felt. "I propose," She said to him, "That we form an alliance." An unspoken one, of course, had already been long in existence between the two tribes of moon and water. Now, however, Iliana felt pressed to make it official.

Herumor nodded and Iliana took one of Radagast's bayonets, extending her hand and slitting her palm. Herumor took the blade and repeated the action to himself before clasping her hand. "My blood to cover your blood." She said, reciting from an old tradition.

"My wound to cover your wound." He finished and they bowed before each other. He smiled at her kindly. "If you will, we should get you back inside now."

Iliana nodded her head, sadly resigned. Something on her chest caught her attention after the action and from under her dress she pulled out the necklace crest of her tribe. The jewel glittered in the starlight, it was a diamond in the shape of a crescent moon woven within by silver, semi-circular leaves. A look of contemplation passing across her features before she held the necklace for him. "I want you to take this.

Herumor took the proffered gift, thought about it for a moment then reached under his shirt and pulled out his own crest. "Then I ask you to take this in return." He said, pulling off the diamond in the opposite arch of crescent as the Lunestrian emblem and completed into a full circle by citrine stones linked with gold.

Iliana took it with a smile and nodded. "Will you be setting out tomorrow?" She asked him, implying strongly that he would not impose on her hospitality by leaving that night.

"Yes. Shortly after dawn. I must get back to my people."

"There is no telling how Relich is holding out." Oleander commented, breaking his long silence to remark about the king's younger brother.

Herumor chuckled at that and nodded. But, his brother wasn't his biggest priority. How much of this did Gyo know? The elf's mind had started to drift towards other things once the battle had ended. How much had that Riku known? Was the man even on Stehen anymore?

Once he returned to Eauva he would be sending a much needed return letter to the human king. 'Or, if it would be quicker, I might just go myself.'

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Winter eyes stared out into the swiftly darkening horizon, their pale-blue hue almost glowing as they turned towards the setting sun. The person clicked their tongue softly, but then a gentle snicker arose from their feminine frame. The woman turned her back on the scene and calmly strolled into the dim forest behind her. Around her came a symphony of soft growls.

"Soon," she muttered softly her voice tainted in wistfulness, "soon they shall see how unrealistic this battle was." She raised her head and stared into the forest ahead of her—she knew there was someone standing there, but the angle of the sun blinded her. "It was a good warning, though, don't you think?"

A scoff sounded, but the woman only smiled wider, her violet hair catching the light.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

"_It has been brought to my attention that although you say you were part of some armed forces, the skill you possess in battle is unknown."_

_Lyra nodded at Xemnas, her hands crossed in her lap. She was fairly at ease around the man now. A week had passed since the strange and eventful meeting she had had with them. _

_The castle was back in running order and was fairly organized. Everyone was back to their usual jobs as well as what was left of restoration. She wondered what she was going to be asked to do now. She was feeling rather useless at the moment. She had been depending upon herself for much of her entertainment, except for her conversations with Xigbar and Luxord, who contrary to her initial judgment were rather good conversationalists. She also occasionally had conversations with Saix; she no longer needed a chaperon and like all the others, he too was now engaged in restoring the castle. They were still searching for a routine in their lives, so Lyra understood being set to the wayside, though she often became frustrated in her boredom._

_Xemnas leaned forward, interrupting her musing. "It is not that I don't trust your word, but there have been members that have brought up the point. It would do me and the others good to know the extent of your logic and physical readiness and from there we may continue training you."_

"_So I'm going to be tested?"_

_Xemnas nodded, "Yes, but in order to gain an accurate assessment, the time will be a surprise…_

That had been two weeks ago; and at random moments Lyra found herself remembering those words. Now was one of those times. She was returning from the library, a book tucked under her arm when Xemnas's voice once again echoed in her mind. She found that occurring more often; the tension slowly building every day she went without being evaluated.

She took a deep breath as she came to a crossroads of sorts. One hallway meet another, forming a four-way path. She came to stop and slowly peered down each direction.

"What're you doing?"

She squeaked and jumped forward, barely catching her book as it fell.

"Kupo, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." She turned and stared at Que, her face blanched in fright. "Whoa, you don't look good. Well, you've actually been a little off for more than a week."

Lyra closed her eyes and tried to calm her rocketing pulse. This thing, a moogle as Marluxia had informed her, had worked for the Organization before they had fallen. "It's f-fine." She tried to smile; it still felt awkward holding a conversation with the creature, who looked more like a toy to her. She was a little uneasy in light of that analogy. Lynn had told her a scary story once when she was a child about a toy that had come to life and killed it's owner: not a pleasant memory.

"No, I don't think it is. You're really on edge, kupo." Lyra frowned and sighed. Should she tell the _thing_? She instantly regretted the tone her thought had taken. The moogle was trying to be nice to her and all she could think of was how he resembled a plush toy that talked. She sighed for a second time. She was going to have to get use to him. Better now than later.

"Xemnas is going to test me."

Que nodded. "I'm going to fly now, ok? It'd be easier for you if you didn't have to look down when you spoke to me--kupo." He then hovered upward, stopping only when he reached Lyra's eye level. His eyes smiled lightly, "So, ole Xem's going test ya? Kupo, shouldn't be so bad."

"You'd think." Lyra chuckled, managing not to look at him. Que frowned, but ignored the body language for now.

"What makes it so bad?"

"It's going to be a surprise…I don't know if one of the Organization members will be doing it or something else."

She began walking again, and Que kept up with her as she went, "They want to know if you can think on your feet. You shouldn't worry about it so much."

Lyra turned around, stopping once more. "I know that! It's just frustrating…It's been two weeks…I don't want to disappoint."

Que grinned as her mouth thinned into a line. "Wow, if I'd thought egging you on would get you to actually look at me, kupo, I would have done it a while back."

Her expression changed from irritation to shock and guilt. "Thought I didn't notice it, huh?" It was an attempt to take her mind off her anxiety, but it also served to address an issue that troubled him.

"I've never seen any creature like you. I've dealt with elves, even dwarves, but nothing like you."

Que tilted his head, "You've seen all that, but never a moogle?" Lyra forced her gaze to remain on his as she shook her head. He laughed, "Kupo! Well, that's a relief. I thought you just didn't like me."

"You're not mad at me?"

"Should I be?"

Lyra thought for a minute, "I don't mean to act so distant…But you look…"

Que cocked an eyebrow and pressed, "I look?"

She tried to smile even despite her shame. "You look like a toy... like a teddy bear." The moogle snickered, "Yeah, I've heard that before. Where in the universe do you come from if there's no moogles there?"

"Stehen, ever heard of it? No one else has. It's actually close to Twilight Town."

Que nodded, "Yeah, that's what the world's called? Kupo, I think I know what one you're talking about. I've never personally been on it…I'll have to contact my relatives about setting up shop there."

"A shop?"

"Yes, moogles are masters in the art of synthesis, kupo," he saw her confusion grow, "you have no idea what I'm talking about, do you?" She shook her head. He sighed, "It's complicated…Us moogles can take certain materials and mix them together to form potions and even weapons."

He felt his chest warm at the look of amazement that crossed her face. "Weapons?"

"Absolutely, kupo."

"Amazing."

Que nodded in agreement. "Yes, well, I'm once again sorry for scaring you. I need to go speak with Xaldin about some materials he said he had for me to work with. If you'll excuse me." He bowed to her in the air.

She smiled at him and nodded. "Thanks for helping me."

He floated off, "You're welcome, lass."

Lyra glanced about her when Que's form had disappeared. Then she sped across the clearing. She made it to the stairs that lead to the hallway that had then lead to the Alter of Naught and taking the steps two at a time ascended to the floor and crossed out of the ivory hallway.

She felt more at ease in the space provided by the open walkway. The night wind ruffled her navy locks which she had pulled back in a hair clip Saix and Xigbar had found for her when they had gotten her clothes. She sighed, inhaling the air, but paused when an odd sound erupted from behind her.

The pulse of fear clutched her; something told her it was time. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end as the sound repeated once more. It was like crackling leaves underfoot and the noise of wind through blossoming trees collided with a low hum.

She dropped her book to the ground and whipped around to face whoever or whatever had come. She yelped and leaped to the side as an edged appendage emerged from the ground. It had been aimed right at her, intending to skewer her it seemed.

Lyra landed on her feet, but her dodge was short-lived as the attack was repeated by a larger serrated arm. This attack came from beneath and a smaller—the smallest thus far—jabbed at her from the side. She crouched and sprang away turning as she did.

She didn't take any time to commit the creature's structure.

"Freeze!" She yelled and aimed her spell at the core of the group.

For a moment ice coated the razor limbs of the two burrowed in the ground, and it shocked the smallest attacker, who was now above the ground and revealed.

It was a white and black creature. Its posture was slouchy and a dark ribbon of skin hung off its head and just barely touched the ground. Its arms, like she thought, were notched like a saw, and where it's hands should have been were two clean cut axe-heads. It stood on two needle legs.

She was able to observe this while the spell stunned the creatures momentarily as she prepared for another burst of magic. When they were able to move again the two concealed and the one unmasked advanced on her. The smallest one jumped and raised a hand to slash at her.

"Wind, guard me!" She called. Air spun around her body and the creature, caught off guard, bounced off and slammed into the wall. That's when she saw the insignia on it's head ribbon. It was the crest of the nobodies, a sign she had seen often in the castle's decoration.

'Nobodies,' she told herself, 'these are a species of the lower, non-human type.' She dodged a combined blow from the concealed ones and aimed an ice spell at them. This second spell invoked their rage and they sprang from the floor, no longer hiding in it's depths.

Lyra backed-up as the small one joined its comrades. When her back hit the railing protecting the outdoor walkway she used the new support to grab onto from behind and kicked outwards and up to knock the foremost of the creatures back. She bit her lip, no longer remembering this was just a test; her instinct to survive kicked in, but she remained unblinded by haphazard skill despite the surge of mind numbing adrenaline. She'd be damned if she let years of combat training fail at the time when it needed to actually be put in use. These were not the competitive sparring sessions and obstacle courses Damien had put her, Kirsti, Ian, and Tjaldin through.

She ducked to the side and covered her head, despite the still strong wind spell swirling around her. The three nobodies slashed at the railing, cutting a chunk of it away. She didn't even give a thought that she may be held responsible for that. Instead she used the destruction to her advantage and grabbing a severed piece of metal. Now in possession of a weapon—and feeling of deja vu—she felt more comfortable in her odds.

When the trio launched at her again she had decided on a strategy to use. Crouching low to the floor she jumped up and cast a low gravity spell. With two of the three immobile she pivoted and trained her attention to the third. In quick succession she had cornered the creature—the middle sized nobody—and bludgeoned it into submission with five knocks to the head. It disappeared in blossoming ebony and ivory vines.

Her guarding spell finally vanished. She gasped as she felt the blade of one of the now freed assailants tear her skin on her arm, forming a deep -albeit short- gash. She whipped around only to be slapped across her face with the biggest one's "hands".

She yelped at the pain, her skin reddening and her back bruising as the attack sent her into the wall with a jarring impact. Her breath was hard to find. She stared them down calculatingly. How much damage could they take? For the other it had been five, but these two had been hit with a Gravity. 'Maybe...'

So Xemnas had sent these things to test her? She remembered then the purpose behind them as she dodged another razor slash just in time. She stood up and bolted for the stairs to gain the higher ground.

She stumbled, a sharp pain radiating from her knee when one swiped a leg before her, knocking her own out from under her. She had underestimated their speed. Then came the sharp kick to her side; she seethed and rolled away, jumping to her feet immediately and pressing her legs to move faster.

She blinked twice before she'd reached her destination and from the top of the stairs she back-flipped

behind them sending out an ice spell as she did. The smallest disappeared much like the one before it.

She did not know that Xemnas was watching the battle from atop the newly rebuilt Alter of Naught, judging her movements and noting ways they could be improved. Axel stood at his side.

"Damn. Don't think I expected this..." He muttered.

Xemnas shook his head smirking, "Let's see how she fairs now. You can sense her magic as well as I. She's got the strength for a little more, and then its hand-to-hand combat all the way. She is still fairly uninjured. This is more than even I had hoped for."

Lyra, on the other hand, was now fleeing the attacks of the final, largest nobody. She would back herself against a wall or the railing trying to sway the nobody to attack her so she could stall it when its arms or any part of its body became embedded in the steel. She didn't want to use her final store of magic just yet.

She took a deep breath as it sunk once again into the ground. She glared at the spot, completely oblivious to her growing audience as Xigbar and Xaldin portaled onto the top of the stairs.

Their conversation stopped as they saw the scene in front of them. Lyra was stomping her foot indignantly.

"You little bugger, that's cheating!"

They shared dubious glances filled with matching confusion at the girl's strange comment. But it didn't take long to notice the sawed appendages, like the dorsal fin of a shark, trailing its way to her. She crossed her arms, the piece of broken railing dangling languidly from her fingers as she frowned. She didn't move, just watched as the creature swam closer and closer.

It burst from the ground and everyone watching saw the grin on her face as she reared back and launched her impromptu javelin at its head. The resounding thunk was impressive as it ricocheted off the nobody's leathery, gray head. It hissed and shook itself, trying to refocus. Lyra immediately took off towards the wall as the nobody regained its senses. She heard its agitated growl erupt behind her, but she was focused ahead of her. 'C'mon.'

She clapped her hands and her feet glowed in magic as she reached the the wall. Without hesitation she scaled it and then pushed off into the air. Below her the nobody was speeding to meet the spot where she had been standing- seconds too slow to have actually gotten to her. She reached out and grabbed the creature by its shoulders while above it, pivoting as the momentum brought her back to the ground and in the process back slamming her opponent into the cruel ground, the impact echoing. It screeched, but wasn't down for the count. Lyra jumped back up and just as the creature launched itself at her once again she fell to the ground, kicked it in the head and casted her final spell, using the rest of her magic.

"Fire!" And it faded away with a hiss. She grinned, adrenaline licking through her veins. She had missed battle, missed the quickening of her pulse. She wonder how well she had done, what Xemnas had though because surely he'd-

That thought wasn't to be completed, however. She was standing up and just as she turned around to see Xaldin, Xigbar landed behind her after dropping through a portal. He twisted her around and into a hug, grinning wildly.

"Where did that come from, chit? You back slammed an Assassin! That was amazing."

"I'll say," a voice commented and all attention was drawn to Xemnas and Axel—who had spoken—as they walked down from the Alter.

Lyra was grinning, but she twisted around in Xigbar's embrace. She stared expectantly at the two new nobodies. Xemnas nodded to her.

"You have certainly earned access to our training room. You fared even better than I expected."

Lyra sighed in relief, but her eyes were alight. "I had forgotten how amazing that felt. I was so afraid, but that was awesome. You think I could spar with your Nobodies again sometime?"

"Yeah, anytime, you really did well," Axel replied shrugging, but a hint of a smile played about his lips. "You did good." He nodded to Xemnas and grinned larger at Lyra, "You and I, sometime, alright?" And then he was gone.

"You proved yourself worthy of being called into your kingdom's elite forces. Well played." Xaldin had joined them.

"C'mon, Dilan, that's it? She did well? She exceeded Xemnas's expectations, and all you can say is, 'Well played'? She ran up a wall, slammed an Assassin to the ground, and then kicked it in the head!" Xigbar then leaned an elbow onto her shoulder and chuckled. "This is my kind of woman." Lyra felt her face brighten, but with the adrenaline and pride coursing through her veins, she felt liberated. She knew then, that she had been officially welcomed into this band of rogues. She tilted her head around and set Xigbar with a playful look. "And what kind of woman would that be?"

Xigbar's eye widened at her purr. Then his grin grew again, "You just keep getting better and better." He winked as he stared her down. "I think you need an ether and a potion. You definitely need to replenish your magic, and it wouldn't hurt to get that gash there healed. You mind if I take her to Vexen, Xemnas?"

Xemnas shook his head, "No, I'm quite satisfied for now, but do come and speak with me soon, Lyra. I would like to set you up with a tutor who could continue to improve you as I've said." Lyra nodded and Xaldin shook his head in mock exasperation at Xigbar, who waved at the man before steering Lyra away, an arm around her shoulder. Xaldin turned to Xemnas.

"Well, there he goes. Would you like to accompany me instead?"

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Their conversation echoed off the walls as they walked from Vexen's laboratory and now makeshift storage room of the Organization. They were still working out exactly where in the newly repaired basement everything would go as new stuff came in and expired and broken things were added to the growing pile outside the hovering citadel.

"There were five of us, including me. The heir to the Stehen's throne was our leader."

Xigbar nodded to her, "And did he teach you fight?"

"Yes and no," Lyra explained as they began to ascend the stairs to the appropriate floor, "I also had an Elven tutor, but that's nothing special. After a year has past since your initiation into the Elite, you're sent to the elves for six months worth of training. My first teacher there was a very stalwart solider and the aide to the King, but some very fortunate circumstances found me so after about two months of being there the King himself started training me."

Xigbar chuckled, "Oh really, and what made you so special?"

Lyra flushed, "Well, I had sort of started dating the king's younger brother." That made Xigbar's laughter even more noticeable. "Oh, so you have a track record, eh?"

"I didn't actually know who he was until the king took me in, and I hardly think one guy is considered a track record." Her companion's forehead furrowed, "One? Now that is a record. You've only had one guy?"

Lyra's eyes fell self-consciously, "Well, most men are intimidated by the thought of a military wife. It's usually the _guys _in armor that get fawned over." She wasn't overly embarrassed, the comment had just wounded her pride. Relich had been her only boyfriend and that had ended ten months ago. Xigbar stared at her and shook his head, laughing heartily before ruffling her hair like one would do to a child whose pouting was only making them more adorable. "It's okay. I _**like **_women who could possibly kick my ass."

Lyra bit back a laugh and covered her face with a hand, shaking her head as if to say, 'Oi vay.' Xigbar squeezed her shoulder teasingly, "Uh huh, I knew I could make you smile. So tell me about this Stehen."

"Well, not only is it the name of out world as a whole, it's an open little city surrounded by dense forest and overlooked by a large palace, where our monarch, King Gyo and the rest of all the workers of the castle as well as us Elite live."

"Did you like it?"

Lyra nodded, "Yes, I did," she stated wistfully, "but I'm not opposed to this place either. I mean sure the eternal night threw me off a little, but with the castle lit the way it is, I never really know the difference." She grinned, "Especially now that you've got that artificial sunlight working in the outdoor gardens."

They stepped out of the stairwell and Xigbar began to escort her back to her room while they continued to converse. They'd gotten on the subject of food by the time Lyra's door was reached, but all conversation stopped when Demyx exited his own room towel over his shoulder and wearing—were those swimming trunks?

"Demyx, where are you going?" Lyra called. The man turned to her and offered a small smile.

"I'm going to the pool."

"What? There's a pool here?" Her eyes glanced from Xigbar to Demyx. The older nodded, "Yeah, there sure is. I guess you've not been there yet."

Demyx had walked over to them. "You want to come, Lyra?"

Xigbar grinned, "Go on, I should probably be getting back to Xaldin anyway. I suppose it was kind of rude of me to just leave him. You take care and don't drown now." He wagged a hand and mockingly lectured before opening a dark portal and stepping through it.

"I'll be out in a jiff," Lyra nodded and retreated into her room, realization smacking her as she instantly ran to her underwear drawer. In the bundle of clothes Xigbar and Saix had retrieved for her was a matching pair of garments. She had always thought they were a little too coarse to be normal underwear.

She pulled out the brown top and complimentary bottoms before setting to removing her clothes. Minutes later she walked out in an overly large white t-shirt, a towel over her arm.

"Alright, let's go."

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It was on the east side of the castle, harbored just beyond Marluxia's greenhouse. Lyra had seen it and its steamed windows on a few occasions, but had never investigated.

The walls were a blue tent due to the reflection of the water and the air was thick with the smell of chlorine. "I've never seen a pool this big."Lyra commented as she beheld the deep aqua square that took up ninety percent of the building.

Demyx was pulling off the shirt he had been wearing along with his flip-flops. "Really? There were quite a lot on my world." He set his shirt beside his towel on a lounge chair.

"No, this pool could house two of the ones that I'm used to."

Demyx walked to the edge of the pool as she spoke. He chuckled lightly and turned to her, the laughter dying in his throat instantly. Lyra had also discarded her own shirt. She now stood in a chocolate bikini that tied about her neck and the sides of her hips with a beaded cord. His eyes widened and took her in appreciatively before jumping into the water.

Lyra smiled at that and walked to the spot he had jumped from. She gingerly slid into the water, gasping as the cool temperature assaulted her skin and stole her breath a moment before she dunked her head. When she re-surfaced Demyx was mere inches away.

"You did it wrong. It's best to take it all at once." He said with a grin, his lips shivering a bit, his body not yet adjusted to the mountain creek like temperature of the pool.

"Your world, Demyx," she began, "what was it like?"

"It was big," he commented. "Made of lots of countries. I lived in what was the United States in a territory, what we called states, named Alabama. I lived in the northern part of that state, but down south there was an ocean. It was nice; full of good and bad people just like any place else. I lived with both my parents and little sister, Georgia."

"Aw, you had a little sister?" Demyx nodded at the question and began doing a backstroke. "She was six when I was taken sixteen years ago. She'd be twenty-two now." His voice had reached an almost whisper and his eyes were staring, glazed at the ceiling. Lyra swam nimbly after him, "Should I change the subject?"

"Nah," Demyx closed his eyes, feeling the water around him as it seemed to flow with his soul-as it probably indeed was. "I like to remember 'em. My name was Edward Miller, then. Over the years, I've researched some things. My world is on the very far side of the galaxy..."

"If you were to regain your heart would you like to return there?"

He cracked open his eye and gazed at the woman, "No. It seems harsh, but it is best if they think me dead. You see, we don't age. Something about not possessing a heart does that to us. I was twenty-one when I met my fate. I should be thirty-seven." He smirked at Lyra's gasp. "I know, and I believe it would be a shock if my family were to see me, no older than the day I disappeared walking up the drive way. I don't want to shatter their security by letting them know just how complicated things really are in the universe. I myself almost couldn't handle it."

"Is it hard? Knowing you'll never see them again?"

Demyx righted himself in the water. "Sometimes."

Lyra glanced to the side. "May I ask you a question and get an honest answer?"

"Sure, what ya wanna know?" Lyra bit her lip, but sighed. "This no heart business...I've heard that it meant you don't have emotions; that everything you feel is fake. Is that," she saw the horrified look on his face, but pressed on, "is it true?"

He laughed nervously, "You ask some deep questions, you know that? But I suppose I should answer your question with a question right back. Do you think we're emotionless?"

"Well, no. Your emotions seem genuine enough."

"That's because they are. We can still feel, Lyra. Happiness, sadness, anxiety, fear, anger, you name it. It's just a little off for us. Sometimes the emotions we want aren't as strong as they should be, sometimes they can be a little too much, and other times they don't come at all. But we do have 'em. Around other people they becomes easier to express; it's like a pool." He went with what he saw around him for simplicity's sake. "You reach into it and hold out a palm full of water. We all have a pool of emotions in us, and most can reach in and extract as much water as they want, sometimes getting too much or too little, but Nobodies don't work that way. We remember our emotions and sometimes we can extract them ourselves, and that independence becomes easier with time, which is why you don't seem to think we're emotionless, but most of the time it takes other people dipping their hands in the water to pull them out. Understand?"

Lyra was silent a moment, but she nodded, "Yeah, I think I do." She smiled. "I wanted to know that, you know, to quell a fear in me, but I never worded it right. Most of the others wouldn't give me a straight answer."

"Maybe they were afraid you would believe negatively if they were tell you that you've been half-right. We remember what it was like to have hearts, but without them we are no longer the masters of our emotions. A heart without a mind is madness, a mind without a heart is cold, or so it's been said." He shrugged and for a while the subject was dropped quite easily. For sometime afterward they played childish games like Marco Polo, and dunking one another. Demyx tried to impress with a cannonball off the side and Lyra climbed the ladder to the diving board and pulled off a swan dive to best him. Laughter and light topics filled the air for a while.

"You know Xigbar told me that this Organization works in a rather laissez faire manner, to each their own. Having spent so much time with you all, I discover how little I really did know. None of you seem the world domination type. Where did that come from?"

"Many places, there's not one set incident. I mean by all appearances when the Keybearer battled us those years ago, it did seem as if that was our mission, but it was more desperation than anythin'. We went with an idea that seemed plausible. It wasn't the best and many were harmed because of it, I won't deny that." Demyx explained, as he pulled himself out of the pool and reclined at its edge. Lyra swam up to him.

"You seem pretty well bothered by just the memory. How did you deal with it?"

"Well, a lot of hope. Plus, I made it a principle to never directly harm anyone. I had to keep telling myself that people weren't dying; their hearts were just being taken and that if we succeeded in getting our own back then theirs too could be mended. That was always a double-edged sword for me. I wasn't sure I believed it. Our goal stank of selfishness to me, we just wanted our hearts back. But, if we could get them then everything else could be restored right? Self-preservation first, make amends later."

"I believe it would have been possible. Had you succeeded, the hearts would have been returned."

"Yeah," came Xigbar's familiar drawl. Both Demyx and Lyra startled before the man dropped from the ceiling, neither knowing when he might have arrived, "The key idea there having been if we succeeded. We didn't. And the result was still the same. Now comes the matter of redemption. We have a lot of sins to reconcile with.

"We're a family, ya know? Perhaps a dysfunctional one, but still a tight group. Though it may not have been noticed all the time, we helped each other through this shitty half existence. For me, it's been a great test of Faith too."

"Faith as in God?" Lyra questioned.

Demyx nodded and slid back into the water. "It was difficult that. Our whole situation seemed kind of to contradict the Holy Book I'd been raised on. And the task we undertook was one that tested the very question of if we had a right to live or not. The balance of millions rested on if we could achieve our goals."

"That's why we took on the visage of the emotionless people you've no doubt heard about. Our emotions were not things that could have come into play; they could have jeopardized our goals, but I'm not sure about that anymore. I believe this time around, we can be nothing but genuine." Xigbar, paused his train of thought nodding. "Mind if I join you guys?"

"Sure, the more the merrier," Demyx nodded.

"You guys relied a lot on each other to stay sane, huh?" Lyra asked as Xigbar began to disrobe down to his own swim trunks. She felt slightly insignificant in her own misfortune in light of the revelation of their own troubles. Demyx nodded. "I remember wanting to die once. I was minutes away from going through with it; I had it all planned out. Xigbar found out and wasn't too keen on that."

Lyra was surprised at the completly casual way he spoke of it.

Xigbar now stood on the edge staring down at the two, "I talked him out of it. Details aren't important, but after that I believe the two of us kinda made a vow to stay as upbeat as possible. The kid," Xigbar smiled fondly at the blonde, " had been the one to give me my own Faith back, so it was only moral to return the favor."

Demyx shrugged and Lyra grinned. She wouldn't want to be anywhere else. Her banishment had been getting brighter and brighter. They had talked her out of the same kind of things. She would make that vow too.

Xigbar pulled off his eye patch and catapulted it with his thumb and forefinger back to his discarded pile of clothes. While he was distracted Demyx tugged on Lyra's hand. All it took was a shared stare. When Xigbar turned around it was too late to stop the four arms that grabbed him and pulled him into the pool.

He was met with their laughing when he resurfaced. Once again all heavy talk disappeared. The elf was now set with the task to exact revenge upon his assailants. The atmosphere remained unburdened for the rest of the evening as they relaxed in the water, choosing to forget about the outside world for a while.


	19. Chapter 19

_**(A/N): This chapter has a lot of strong language. I know we've used swearing on more than one occasion is previous chapters but we've not had alone time with Larxene before. 'Nuff said. Oh, there is also a side oneshot up for the last chapter concerning the back-story of Demyx and Xigbar if you haven't already found and read it.**_

**Chapter 19**

_Her lungs burned from inhaling the putrid smoke. Everything around her was blanketed in the thick, dark mist that burned her eyes. Relena should've have gone on, but she couldn't. That child had stared at her with such sorrow, as if she knew the horrid thing her military was planning. Relena choked on that thought, pushing strands of her crimson hair out of her eyes._

_Her military. She scoffed, but that action only irritated her lungs further and she started to cough. That house had to be here somewhere. Something deep within her urged her to save the child. Guilt had always plagued her for acting so unaffected when her heart ached daily, almost to the point that she became physically ill. A sense of urgency pricked her, she felt her placid appearance cracking. It was ordered that a military alchemist on Shamballa was stoic, but now something inside her rebelled. She could be idle no longer._

_She ignored her burning chest and pushed on. Her hazel eyes scanned the rubble that use to be homes. Her heart squeezed painfully. What if the kid wasn't even alive anymore? Suddenly, through the crackling of the fires burning in the town she heard sobbing, it rose above the screams of the dying. _

_Relena knew it could only be so strident because it was close. She pivoted and followed it. She didn't mask her smile when she came upon the small girl from earlier. She looked only about three._

"_Hey, little one, c'mon, I'm gonna get you outta here." She held out her hand to the ashy child, whose golden curls were now gray, her face smudged, but those tawny eyes stood out against the blackness of her soot-covered face._

_The girl took her hand. Her eyes gleamed in tears and hope, "I go home?" Relena smiled warmly, "We'll see." The girl smiled toothily and tightened her grip. They began to walk from the rumble that was once the small girl's home; she probably didn't even know the rest of her family was dead, and Relena couldn't bear to tell her that. She wanted the death and sorrow to end; that was her only reason for continuing with the military. She hated what she did to people. She hated war…She wanted to be a normal twenty-three year old woman. She wanted to be married and maybe be expected a little tyke of her own._

_She wanted freedom and she intended to pursue it once this horrible war was over. She hated it…Hate the blood, the death, the greed, everything. She smiled once again at her small companion, fighting off tears. She wanted it all to go away. _

_She would have never expected her world to collapse around her. One moment she was leading the girl by the hand through the flames and destruction, the next a searing pain ascended up her leg. She screeched and tried to pull away. The small girl let go of her hand and turned to regard her with fear. Whatever had her leg, pulled back and Relena fell._

"_RUN! RUN!" She screamed but child just stared at her and began whimpering tearfully. Relena could feel blood gushing from beneath the claws embedded in her left leg. She growled at the girl. _

"_KID, STOP ACTING STUPID AND RUN! RUN!"_

_The creature, whatever the hell it was, pulled her back some more. Relena felt tears well up in her eyes as the "thing" now had it's nails digging through her skirt at her hips. She was a goner, but she'd be damned if the kid was attacked by whatever had her.  
_

"_RUN! KID," desperately, "LET ME GO!" eyes blurring, "JUST RUN, DAMMIT!"_

_The girl, frozen staring at her in abandonment, began sobbing. She knew what the girl was gonna do before she did it. "NO!"_

_She was too late, the little girl was at her side and grabbed her hand. Thinking in a child's innocence that it could pull her up and away._

"_Come'n, we gots to go, don't weave me. Mya can't go bye bye."_

_Relena pushed the girl away, "NO, I CAN'T, PLEASE…MYA, LEAVE! GO, STUPID, PLE-"_

_The thing let her go. She felt the rush of air as it jumped above her. It landed in front of Relena and Mya stepped back, with a whimper._

"_DAMMIT!" As Relena struggled to her feet she simultaneously pulled her gun from its holster. She aimed at the creature's head and shoot. She couldn't see it clearly, only its dark shape. It was huge._

_The creature didn't even acknowledge the bullet. It just advanced on the girl. _

"_LEAVE HER ALONE!" Relena tried to run toward the creature, shooting all the while, but her legs were slashed and bleeding too badly. The pain was too much; she could barely limp._

_Relena shook her head; this wasn't happening. No. She shot again._

_Mya screamed, and that was it. It was as if the monster had been waiting on such a reaction and launched itself like the wail was it's signal. Relena screamed and with what was left of her adrenaline rushed at the creature. She meet its hardened body and was knocked to the ground, her breath gone._

_She was frozen for a moment. Whatever that thing was, its very aura had a numbing effect. Relena began to cry as she listened to the horrendous noises of a child's muffled yell and then the silence._

"_YOU BASTARD! YOU FUCKING BASTARD!" Relena cried and raised her gun just as the creature turned to her. She knew she was the next victim. All she saw was a pair of ravenous yellow eyes before it pounced and knocked the breath out of her prone body. She screamed in pain…_

Larxene awoke screaming as she jolted up right in bed. For a moment she didn't realize what she was doing or where she was, when she did her scream stopped and she fell back into bed. Sobbing, she pulled herself into a ball hugging her knees to her chest. From her position she tried to bury her head in her pillow. Two weeks she had endured without a nightmare, two weeks from her second chance; she wasn't surprised that they had finally returned. She bit her lip and whimpered as the tears continued despite her fight to stop them.

It was just a moment after her awakening that she heard the door open. There was a mumble of voices and then the door shut. She heard footsteps cross her plush carpet and then the bed sunk under the intruder's weight. She shut her eyes as the person maneuvered and laid down. She said nothing as an arm wrapped around her and pulled her against a masculine chest.

"Larxene," the voice was soft, but deep. She whimpered, but turned around and buried her head into the man's chest, drawing her hands to her mouth. Her cries were then free. The man didn't seem to mind and he used both of his arms to hold her close.

"Let it all out, it's okay." He rubbed soothing circles across her shoulder blades concealed in her green night shirt. He buried his head in her hair and hummed a lullaby from own his world, until slowly her cries softened. He moved his head so she could peer up into his sky blue eyes. He smiled softly.

"Better?" She sniffed at the question and shifted in his arms until she was once again resting her back against his chest. Her voice was raw when she spoke, "Thanks, Marluxia."

He scooted the half an inch closer to her and placed his head over her shoulder, so that his dry cheek rested against her wet one. She felt his arm once again encircle her waist. She realized the intimacy of the position, but did not care. She wanted to be comforted, and it gave her a little solace at the attention he was giving her.

"Did you lose again?" His free hand was running through her shorter hair. She was silent. "Ok, did the Lieutenant just get shot by a rebel civilian?" He waited and when she was silent again, he sighed. "It was that little girl, Mya, wasn't it?"

"I couldn't save her."

Marluxia stopped his gentle stroking of her side for a moment. "How many times do I have to tell you that you had no control over that. It's happened and there's no way to go back and change it."

Larxene grunted, "It was my fault she died, if I just acted sooner, did something different, she wouldn't be dead."

"Maybe, maybe not. Maybe you could have saved her from that heartless, but if there was one there was more. She probably would have been ambushed somewhere, and then your death to have saved her would have still been vain. A gun was not an appropriate weapon; you know that now."

"But-"

"No, there's no buts. Even if she could have escaped that monster, she was three, the whole town was on fire…" He felt her move. She had buried her head in her hands. "See." He stared down at her face, at the pain there.

"This isn't just about Mya is it?"

"You've heard it all before," She spat, already feeling insecure at the intimacy.

Marluxia sighed, " Then I'll listen to it again. Turn around here and tell me." He maneuvered his hand so that he could caress her hair beneath her head and waited while she turned around. The steps to this dance were familiar to the both of them by now.

He didn't comment on the tears still leaking from her eyes; she'd been crying silently. Wordlessly he brought up the hand from her waist and wiped them away. "Tell me." He ordered softly.

"All I wanted was peace. It wasn't my fault that I had a skill few did; that I mastered something others would die for. I didn't realize until too late that I had promised myself a position in a war. So many people died while I was there…So many innocent people."

He grimaced. "Yes, I recall that you possessed a strange power on your world, and given the different worlds we have explored, I am not surprised. As for your 'war'; you were in the armed forces, what else did you expect?"

"Unlike your world, _Lumarai_, mine did not engage in the pastime known as war often."

Marluxia smiled, "That doesn't matter, you should have been prepared to accept that."

Larxene crossed her arms. "It was a war that I couldn't even tell you what it was about!"

"And you think you're only one who has had to see innocents fall in the name of causes you yourself were unsure of? It happened quite a lot in Rome. If you were not sold to the cause why didn't you just leave? Abandoned the military, maybe even helped the civilians?" He was speaking against his own code of honor when he said that, but to him, the thought of women in the military was still a very foreign thing.

"I couldn't leave. It wasn't an option! Don't you understand that?! Desertion of the military was a crime punishable by death. Besides I thought if I stuck through to the end that everything would be fine and I could leave."

"Death? The same was true for me; that never stopped some of the men. Besides there are ways to escape without being killed, and even if you had failed death seems as if it would have been more preferable."

Larxene bit her lip. "Had I survived any longer, I would have attempted escape, but--"

Marluxia shook his head, "I do not think you truly believed the terror would end or that you would have been allowed to leave so easily. I think you were scared of running."

"How dare you even say that!" She pushed him away and got out the bed. "I am not cowardly."

Marluxia sat up, "Aren't you?" He snorted, but his expression was soft, "Larxene, that isn't something you should be afraid of admitting sometimes. It's okay to be scared, it's normal. You wanted to stay alive so you stayed in the military. But that was then. You're being a coward now and that is unacceptable. You're running away."

"I am not!"

Marluxia stood up and advanced upon her. "Yes, you are. You're living in the past and not seeing the future. You're scared."

"I-I-" Larxene was backed up against the wall. She brought her hands up to her face and bit into her knuckles to muffle her scream as she slid down the surface. "I don't want to fail again. I was so happy to be free from the war on Shamballa, I didn't care for a moment that I didn't know where I was, but that victory…I _felt _victorious, but something didn't feel right. It was a little stifled…or…damn, I don't know." She stared up at Marluxia, "You wouldn't understand."

Marluxia did not rise to her bitter tone. He continued to merely stare at her. "You're right, I don't understand. You won't let me understand. You continue to mope and feel sorry for yourself and yet you lash out at anyone else who feels that way. You're a hypocrite."

"So, what? Yes, I'm a hypocrite." She shifted her gaze away, "And what else is new?"

Marluxia sighed, "Well, admittance is the first step."

"Good, at least you're finally seeing things my way." She liked having her way.

Marluxia shook his head, "No, I'll never see it your way until you tell me." He smirked, "I doubt even then, my nymph."

Larxene growled and stood up, "You want to understand? You really want to know what I think?" She jabbed the assassin in the chest with her finger. "I was taken from one war and thrown right in the middle of another one. Innocent people perished in both. I'm fucking sick and tired of it. And I'm sick and tired of you pitying me! I don't want pity…I…don't-"

Marluxia grabbed her hand and pulled her tightly against his chest. "Don't you dare say it, don't say you don't deserve pity. You deserve it. It hurts to see you in pain, Relena. I know what you feel like, but you fear the future, fear failing. And if you continue to do so you'll never move on. You want your heart back don't you?"

"Yes." She replied softly; head against his breast, listening to the sound of his heart. Marluxia loosened his grip around her. "Then you're going to have to reach up and take it, unafraid of the consequences. You can't be afraid to fail."

"But what if we do? What if-"

"Then we do. Stop questioning what you could have done then, and focus on what you can do now. Learn from the past, but do not dwell in it. Keep it close in your mind, but let it not consume you."

"It hurts."

Marluxia smiled and brought his hand up to her head again. He softly stroked her hair. "I know, and they say we are emotionless. How can you wake screaming from night terrors, how can you cry when there's nothing there to explain it." He swayed gently, "Promise me you'll try and live this life. Not for me, but for you. I want to see you happy. Let go of the monsters of the past and embrace the unknown of the future; I'll stand there beside you and catch you when you falter."

Larxene buried her face into his chest. "I can't." She cried. "I can't take failing again."

"Yes, you can. You're strong, if such wasn't true then you wouldn't be here now."

"Marluxia," she whimpered.

He once again held her tightly. "Listen, there are some trials in men's lives that which he cannot overcome; he must simply accept them and move on lest he be conquered forever."

"I don't want to see anymore pain."

"That's like saying you don't want to breath anymore. Life is full of pain, you have to accept that. You will never be free from that; but you don't have to be alone in facing it."

She raised her head and stared into his eyes. He smiled softly and his hand caressed her cheek. "Let me in, Relena. Let me share and erase your pain." He tilted his head and lowered his face towards her. Tears filled her eyes again at the sight of him. Her chest warmed and constricted at the same instant. What woman didn't want this attention?

She knew she wanted this, she knew she needed it, but she wasn't ready. His lips were a breath away from hers when she turned her head, her eyes closed. "No, Marluxia, not again…I can't promise you that yet. My mother once told me that you can't love someone else until you love yourself."

"Well, I love myself."

"Stop being so vain, I meant me." He kissed her exposed cheek, smirking as her breath caught in her throat.

"I know." Larxene pushed him away, or tried to; it was a feeble effort. She turned her gaze away.

"Four years is far too long a time to hate yourself, you know. Why don't you love yourself?"

"Why do you?!" She bit back. Marluxia chuckled, "Now, now, I asked you first."

"I don't know how to explain it."

"And there is your problem, you give up just because you can't find a solution to it. Just start rambling."

She glared in defiance at him. "I have too many regrets from my past life, from this last time too. I could have done more."

"I have regrets too, I regret losing you when I did."

Larxene froze, "Marluxia you had no control over that." Marluxia sighed, but was inwardly smirking. It was time to give her a dose of her own medicine. "I shouldn't have sent you away to retrieve Axel. I should have went myself. If I had done that, or followed my instinct that something was wrong when you didn't return thirty minutes later you may have lived to see the second downfall maybe."

"There was no way you could have known that was going to happen."

Marluxia crossed his arms, "The same goes double for you. You can't change the variables you didn't know existed. Out of everyone killed by the Shamballa military why act so morbid over one child, who probably would have died anyway?"

Larxene opened her mouth to reply, but instead she once again threw his words back at him. "And what of you? Out of the losses at Castle Oblivion, why focus on my loss the most?"

Marluxia chuckled, "Touché, but I never said I did not mourn those lost under my command. I even regret ordering Vexen's death; his actions may have proved useful in the long run, one will never know. I watched everyone fall, and I never stepped in, most of the time because I knew too late that they had fallen. It seems like such a lame excuse, though. You, however, I would have thought you knew the answer to that."

Larxene shook her head, "Please don't say it, Marluxia. It's impossible."

"Nothing is impossible. Your death haunted me the most because I love you."

"No, no, you don't, Lumarai, you can't love me. How can you love someone without a heart?" She sniffed. Marluxia frowned and slowly approached her. When she didn't try to retaliate he pulled her into his arms once again. "Love is something not easily forgotten."

Larxene shook her head vehemently. "Dammit that's not what I meant. Love is different for everyone and it's a different feeling every time you feel it. You can't love me."

Marluxia chuckled, "So says you. But, if that is true, then maybe the heart has nothing to do with whether emotions are there or not. Maybe they aren't just a remembrance. I know I love you. I swear upon my heart wherever it may be that I love you as a man should love a woman. Larxene, believe me, if no one else…You are the first woman whose feelings ever meant a thing to me. You are the only woman who can deny me the right to shower my affections on you in the shape of kisses or anything else. I ache whenever I see you in pain, which means everyday."

"No, you can't Marluxia, I'm not worth the trouble even if you do love me."

"I can't love you? That is something I cannot change. I love you; I do not know why or how I love you, only that I do."

"I've been so mean to you, though. I refused you so often, I've call you the most horrid names, sometimes. How can you love me? Why do you love me?"

Marluxia smiled and tilted her chin up with his hands, "Because I do. I see before me a woman whose beauty is not defined solely by her appearance, but by the years of pain she has endured and yet she still goes on, even though she is broken. I see a woman who is strong of spirit even if she does not realize it. I see a woman who will keep me entertained for the rest of my days. I want no submissive partner; a woman with a fiery attitude and the boldness to speak her opinions is my wish, for within her I see an endless and forever burning passion."

Larxene closed her eyes and her head fell. Marluxia sighed. "You don't believe me? Or are you afraid of love because you do not want to lose it?"

She was silent, but he said nothing about it. He thought he already knew the answer. He took her hand in his and kissed her knuckles. "Can you sleep again, _dulcis_?" Larxene nodded, hiding the blush on her face at his actions and words and Marluxia released her. He turned away to leave when her hand clasped around his.

He smiled and turned to her. "I," she began softly, "I don't want to be alone if the nightmares come back." He continued to smile, "Then you won't." He disengaged from her hand and she crawled back into the bed.

Marluxia followed soon after she gotten comfortable beneath her violet bed spread. He laid behind her underneath the blankets and fitted his body to the form of hers. One arm he placed beneath her head and the other embraced her waist. He laid his head on her shoulder blade and placed a kiss there. Her breath faltered again and he grinned, tempted to do it again just for spite. He decided against it, howbeit.

An hour later, found them in the same position, only Marluxia appeared to be asleep. Larxene was staring at Marluxia's hand, analyzing everything, but mostly his words in her mind. She sighed and slowly reached out, hesitantly threading her fingers with his. She tensed when his hand reacted and gripped hers in return.

For a moment she didn't move, hoping he was still asleep. His breath was still steady and he had not moved. She closed her eyes after she was certain he was still slumbering. What she could not see however was behind her the lights from the city illuminating his features: his rosy hair and his alert eyes, softly observing Larxene as she fell into dreams. He hoped they would be less frightful. He could not help the grin that formed when he looked at their intertwined hands, the warmth that flooded him at this simple gesture of requited affection. A grand feeling of weight settled over his chest and the heat that swelled there laced its way in tendrils throughout his whole body.

His grin grew wider as realization washed over him in the same instance. He felt whole, for the first time since he'd been attacked in the bath-house back in Rome. 'What a wonderfully simple solution, after all the trouble we've given it.' The irony was smacking him in face. His thumb traced idle circles into the soft peach of Larxene's hand and he could hardly suppress the excitement.

After years of toil, after all the complex theories… He was the first. He had his heart back. He couldn't wait until morning to go and report this miraculous turn of events.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

Sora sat between Donald and Goofy on one of the stone steps of the coliseum's stands. He was fresh returned from Agrabah which had been overrun with the Light monsters. The job of exterminator was tiring but he wouldn't trade it for anything less. He loved the action and he loved to help others, to feel needed.

He was back in Olympia now to try and gather more information– along with training. The Olympus coliseum had been where he'd first gotten the name Nephlim so logic implied that other information might also be gotten here. Said logic came to Sora as a whim that in reality originated with Roxas who'd gotten enough freedom when his counter force slept to work his own opinion into the brunette's subconscious. As of yet, nothing new had been learned except that the repressive magic that subdued the heartless once they entered the coliseum also worked on the Nephlim.

Sora had been fighting a tamer version of his adversaries for the last half hour for training and now he was taking a breather as the stadium opened to the public and people started to mill in. Today there was a special guest performing, one Jason of Ioclus. The crowds paid he and his strange non-human friends little attention, having grown accustom to such things long ago.

"That was some workout, huh, guys?" Sora spoke after a while, not able to let it remain silent for long.

"Sure was." Goofy commented, rotating his shoulders to try and untense his sore muscles. Donald lay on his back, not even trying to hide his fatigue,

"We're getting too old for this." The duck quacked in halfhearted frustration.

Sora ignored them and instead scanned the stands, he wanted some news. Phil hadn't been much help so maybe the general public might be. There was a woman at arms reach behind him fussing with two young boys; she seemed as good a place to start as any. "Excuse me ma'am," The keyblade wielder turned around and attempted to start a conversation.

"Her name is Iren." One of the little boys addressed him as if he should have known that fact all along.

"Behave, Alexander." The fair haired woman said in exasperation. She turned her attention to Sora and nodded that he should continue. She placed one hand on either child's shoulder and physically sat them down; there they remained, suddenly obedient.

"Have you any clues about the strange goings on around here? Any idea about these Nephlim creatures?" Sora never liked beating around the bush.

"Huh? No, I'm afraid not. We're not from around here anyway; we've traveled here from Sparta. The Olympics are next week you know." She said with a smile. Sora nodded—Phil had said something about it.

The next few people he questioned yielded little else. One particularly scrawny and jumpy fellow tried to sell him a sundial and had thoughts of nothing but. He slumped back to his friends after a while with a sigh, "This wasn't as easy as I thought it was going to be." Goofy put an encouraging hand on his back and was about to say something when a yell went through the crowd as this day's hero took to the arena. 'Do we really have to stay for this guy?' He wondered to himself, trying hard to not become bored.

"Pardon me," A girl's voice said by his ear as a hand tapped his shoulder. Sora turned around to stare into lens framed magenta eyes and sky blue hair. A foreigner like himself? That was unusual on this world. "I heard you asking around about those creatures..." She gave a pleasant enough smile and extended her hand to shake his. "I believe I can help." She pushed her glasses further up onto her nose and waited for him to respond.

He took the offered hand and returned the greeting with a smile. "Well, its obvious that you're not from around here." He said as a matter of greeting. "So how do you know anything about these Nephlim?" He might have been naïve from time to time but he wasn't stupid.

The girl smiled and shrugged, "Eh, you hear people talk when you travel. That said, you probably know not to put too much weight on just hearsay." She tucked a strand of wavy, light blue hair behind her ear as she continued. "I like spending my vacation time off world, you know? Here lately, with all this unsettling stuff going on I don't suppose it's a very safe option, but then, from what I've heard, staying put might be just as risky."

"Say, where are you from?" Donald asked, looking at her somewhat suspiciously.

"Where are _you _three from?" She asked instead, tilting her head to the side for effect.

"I'm Sora, from Destiny Island and these two are Donald and Goofy, from Disney Castle."

"Oh my gosh!" The girl's face seemed to light up. "I think I know who you guys are! You're the Keyblade Master!" She paused as the man chuckled and waved his hand modestly. "That would explain why you're looking into things. Good! Maybe somethings will start to happen. Okay, so from what I've heard, there's this woman named Adel who is controlling these Light monsters and the last world to fall to her was a place called Elydria."

"Any clues as ta where this mystery woman might be goin' next?" Goofy asked, raising an eyebrow.

The stranger slowly shook her head as if saying no but still thinking, "Different things really. I've heard twice now that witnesses said she mentioned wanting to take down a certain monarch. A king, Mickey, I think it was..."

"The King!?" The trio yelled in unison causing a few heads to turn their way. "But... we'd already taken out so many of the Nephlim there." Sora's brows knit.

"Well, like I said, pretty much all my information comes from rumor. That could be one of them." She told them with a shrug. "I just thought that any little bit would help."

"Oh, it does." Sora assured her, quick to show a friendly face. But inside wheels were turning, and the doubt had been sewn. What if it wasn't just rumor? It couldn't hurt to check, besides this world didn't seem to have anything else to offer to their line of interest so why linger? "I suppose it might be worth looking into this one. What do you say guys? Want to go ahead and start back to the ship?" The thought of an air-conditioner prompted Donald to voice agreement first; Goofy merely nodded.

The girl had stood up during this exchange and looked ready to leave as well, one leg already on the stand behind her. "I wish you the best of luck." She said, shaking his hand once more before heading back up through the crowd. She was out of ear shot before he thought to ask for her name. 'Well, there you go Adel. You'll get your audience and this world will be unguarded for a while. We wait until these Olympic Games as planned and if you follow my advice, everything should all work out time wise.'

Nadia shook her head and readjusted her glasses as she turned to watch the three of them leave discreetly through one of the side gates. "That was too easy." She whispered to herself.

* * *

Marluxia awoke to a startled yell and a thump as Larxene tripped over herself in surprise. The man grunted and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. "Wha...?" He half-yawned and rolled over. The bedroom light was on so he assumed it was morning; Larxene was a habitual early riser with an unmatched internal clock.

"Mar-Marluxia?" Her voice was lacking some confidence.

"Hmm?" The man answered groggily, sitting up and stretching. There was no going back to sleep now, he realized. After his eyes focused he found Larxene at the foot of the bed, hair rumpled and green night shirt askew—his slow to wake mind found this amusing and he couldn't help but snicker a little. "What's the matter?" He asked, yawning again afterward.

"Why? H-how the- You got your heart back!" The exclamation was loud but with it she regained her bearings and swiftly bounded to her dresser-drawer to grab a compact mirror from it's surface. She launched herself onto the bed and thrust the looking glass into his hands, it gave him a small jolt as her excitement slightly manifested itself into her element. "Look!" She insisted, eyes wide in anticipation and confusion.

Marluxia held the mirror in front of him and smirked at what he saw. "So I didn't just imagine it." He murmured, more to himself than anything else. Murky green eyes looked back at him from behind jet black bangs. He reached up to run his fingers through the dark loose curls that rested a little below his shoulders. "Well, who would have thought this?" Oh was he ever pleased!

"Holy hell! Even your voice is a little different!" And indeed it was, resting now at a half octave lower with just the barest hint more of an edge to it. "How did this happen?" She questioned, not being able to help herself and reaching forward to twist her finger in one of the wide ringlets.

"Do you want to know the exact moment?" He asked with a hint of tease. He brought his hand to hers and interlocked their fingers. "Last night, when you did this to me."

Her face remained confused for a moment longer before it suddenly dawned on her what he meant and she looked at her hand in his, a lump slowly forming in her throat. So he'd been awake then. "But...how? I mean, why this?" Such a simple and non-scientific gesture, how in heaven's name was it connected to restoring a Nobody?

Marluxia shrugged, "Well, as much as I'd rather it wasn't, this is probably something Vexen is going to have to puzzle over." He let go of her hand and went to push himself off the bed, some of the violet sheets dropping to the floor as he did so. "I suppose I should go reintroduce myself shouldn't I? I am Lumarai Trichas once more and from here onwards." There was no masking the joy and pride in his voice as he said this. "First, I should go pay a visit to my own room and dress for the day."

Larxene quietly watched him go, not neglecting to realize what this would mean for their already awkward relationship. The heated conversation from earlier was replaying itself in her mind. A sense of dread was creeping across her. She was happy for the man, she confessed, but it scared her. She couldn't use her old excuses anymore—Marluxia had hardly let her use them in the past to begin with.

A short yell came from the hall; neighbor Axel had met the new Marluxia—or rather, the old one.

* * *

An emergency meeting had been called. Lyra had only been in this room once, with the long white chairs arranged in an uneven circle of varying height. She'd asked about the strange formation and had been told it had something to do with a ritual around an old artifact that could be summoned to help them see into different worlds without actually being there. The item in question was rarely used and hadn't been called on since their awakening. Despite it's odd looks, it was just a meeting room she had been assured.

Lyra sat with Que on her lap in one of the lowest chairs of the room. Not long after her testing she had quickly made amends to him and they had swiftly become close friends. "It's so strange, kupo." Que stated flexing his wings to and fro in nervous excitement. "All this time, and here one of them finally has their heart back!"

"I know." Lyra commented, eyes locked above her and to the left on Lumarai. 'You can defiantly tell he used to be Marluxia.' She thought, having a little trouble understanding that it _was_ Marluxia. He was everything he ever had been as the rosy hair man she'd come to know, but now he was more. This was how he used to be before she met him. Every puzzle piece of his being was now snapped back into proper alignment.

"Clearly, there is now no one in the dark on this matter of Lumarai becoming himself again." Xemnas began; he was a whole seven feet above Lyra and to her right but the design of the room carried his voice to her and everyone else with ease. "The question, then, is how this happened and if the same can be expected for the rest of us. I would like for you, Lumarai, to tell us in the greatest detail, what it was you felt prior to the realization of your heart and the sensation you got when it occurred." The Superior asked.

Lyra noted with some curiosity as Larxene—seated in the chair directly beside her—slunk down and put her hand to her forehead. 'I'm guessing she was involved?' The navy haired female mused as XI began to speak. The man's narration hadn't been a very long one yet Larxene's face was scarlet by the end of it. Across from her, Lyra noticed, Xigbar and Xaldin were trading knowing smirks and she gathered from their behavior that XII and XI's relationship wasn't a secret. Still, she felt extremely sorry that the woman was having to sit through this; it was embarrassing! It didn't seem that it was the man's intention to make his love interest uncomfortable but that did little to mend the fact that she was.

"Psst," Lyra whispered very lowly to Que in her lap, "If you're on good terms with Larxene then you'll go over to her and sit. Look at her! This is horribly revealing." She was trying to be unheard but it seemed the blonde beside her had noticed the action.

Larxene misinterpreted the other girl's whispering; she saw the look of pity on her face but that only fueled her irritation at the situation—II and III's antics across from them didn't help either. Why couldn't Xemnas had questioned Lumarai in private first and _then_ called a meeting? Surely all this detail didn't need to be shared with the whole Organization. "Alright! Laugh it up, you asses!" She yelled across to the older men, pointing an accusing finger. She gave a bitter smile, trying to play it off, "Just remember, I know where you sleep." She said with a sweetness that was clearly mock. The implied threat might not have been and with that she opened a portal angled in front of her, "I don't have to put up with this. I'll figure out anything else by word of mouth." She said before jumping off her chair and into it.

Marluxia and Xemnas seemed put their heads in their hands simultaneously. Clearly, not enough tact had been used here. "I should go after her."

"Wait!" Lyra was surprised that Vexen echoed her exclamation and she and the blonde shared a quick look; she nodded that he should be the one to speak first. "Marluxia– er– Lumarai, she will be fine, I want to ask you if I could speak with you alone here in a moment, in my work space please."

"I'll go to Larxene." Lyra spoke next. Luxord had to cover his mouth to smother the rest of his laugh and the girl whipped her head left quickly to glare at him for it.

"You might not want to do that. She'll cool off." Xigbar advised from his high seat on the other side of the room.

"You're all guys, what would you know about what would be best for _her?_ And Ma- Lumarai, I'd say go with Vexen. My guess would be that she'd rather not talk to you just yet." Her green eyes locked on his as she addressed him.

The man gave the barest of smiles, "Perhaps you are right about that." He admitted. Even though the two of them hadn't done _anything _he hadn't really used any discretion. "I would like for someone to go and check on her. I would trust you." He saw the wisdom of another female going to give her comfort over such a sensitive situation.

"Kupo! I'll go with you lass." Que offered with an affirmative nod. Lyra patted his head in thanks and jumped the relatively short distance to the ground, not bothering to use the notches in the side. She and the moogle exited swiftly and quietly from the room; the discussion didn't involve the two of them anyway. "Where should we look first, kupo?" He asked once the doors were shut.

"I was thinking of checking her room first..." Lyra said, distractedly moving right. They were in the center of the castle, bright neon colors and the odd contraptions that took a person from floor to floor without the use of stairs. She didn't particularly like this area. It was impressive but she always felt more acrophobic here than anywhere else, even the Alter of Naught was preferred for some reason. That reason was probably the fact that she had never ridden or even seen anything like this.

"No, I don't think she would have gone there. Kupo, that's too predictable. She'll have wanted to escape being followed." Que said as if he'd dealt with this kind of scenario before. "Come! We'll take the elevator, let's check the library first."

Lyra swallowed hard but followed him over to the lighted platform. Que pushed in their destination then a crackle of electricity sounded and they were on their way. 'Easy for you to be so calm' Lyra thought at the moogle. 'You have wings to rely on if this thing breaks.' Given her level of skill, she too could have easily survived on the off chance the machine broke, but that didn't make her any less leery of the contraption. She was glad when the platform halted and she and Que left in search of the sulking Larxene.

Lyra cast Que a suspicious look, certain now that he'd done this before, when they found the woman sprawled sideways in one of the maroon leather chairs in a far corner of the library. "Hey." the younger said neutrally, slightly quiet. She and Larxene had yet to become friends in the two weeks following their introduction and this put a seed of hesitation in her. Was she about to get snapped at? Probably; but, Que was with her and somehow he changed the way the Organization members acted to some degree.

"Oh great. The manic depressive has come to cheer me up." Larxene didn't even open her eyes at the greeting. She wasn't in the mood to talk. Though, she was surprised to discover that it was Lyra seeking her out; she'd had a whole rant prepared for Lumarai.

"Hey, I've leveled up from that. Now, I'm just periodically melancholy." Lyra joked, trying to lighten the mood and not letting anything slip into her voice that would indicate if Larxene had gotten under her skin or not. She'd done well to prepare for such a response; fifteen days of constant interaction with these people had taught her a lot.

"Now, that wasn't called for." Que said to the seated thin woman. At the sound of his voice Larxene bothered to look up and actually let out a sigh.

"Men can be very oblivious to these things somethings." Lyra stated, "I'm being honest when I say I sympathize."

"I'm sure you do, dolly." The blonde quipped but there was significantly less bite in her words.

"You shouldn't be too mad at Lumarai, he was clearly doting upon you to some extent through all that. Kupo, Xaldin and Xigs were just being immature and you should know no one else will really pay it much mind."

"Especially when they know you can kick their ass." Lyra said supportively, walking over and crouching down by the arm of the chair near the other woman's head. "I think it was totally wrong for them to go into your private life like that, completely insensitive if you ask me."

"I know, right?" Larxene huffed throwing her hand up in frustration and shaking her head. She wouldn't verbalize it in exact words, but it felt good to have another girl there to talk to about this kind of stuff. Que hovered up and went to perch on her stomach, petting her side comfortingly.

"Want to pay Xigbar and Xaldin a little mischief?" Que asked her, his tone soothing.

"Do you think we'd die if we included Xemnas in that? He _**was**_ the one who made it a big meeting after all." Lyra said, a smirk forming on her lips. Nothing like a little harmless revenge.

Larxene's face looked a little doubtful. They might just die...depending on what they did. Que didn't seem as miffed, "Oh, if we do it right, ol' Xem won't know what hit him. Kupo, if you two knew him like I do..." He didn't finish his sentence. With Xemnas being the leader maybe it was a good thing that not everyone knew him like he did. Poor fellow had it hard enough managing twelve such robust personalities. "We'll save him for last though. We'll have to really put some thought into these, girls, are you willing to wait a while before pulling them off, though?"

Lyra chuckled out loud and Larxene grinned, "But of course. What are we but patient and calculating creatures?" Surprisingly, she was feeling a little better. She'd have to deal with Lumarai on her own. She sighed on the inside; she could do it, though. If it meant staying away from him for a little while to collect herself, that was something she could live with. After the way he'd gone on earlier, it might be her own little revenge against him. She looked at the blue haired girl beside her and spared just the slightest upturn of a smirk. 'Thanks.' She thought at her.

* * *

Lumarai shifted uncomfortably on the metal chair as Vexen fussed over a pen that had stopped writing mid sentence. They were only four minutes in and already they were sick of each other. 'This is going to be painful.' The dark haired man thought remorsefully as he stared at the blonde across the table from him.

"Now," Vexen said moodily as he settled on a different pen, "We're going to start at the beginning, and try and remember the physical sensations as precisely as possible. This time, please save the poetry for yourself."

Lumarai met Vexen's glare with a smirk, "Roses are red, violets are blue, holding Larxene's hand would make me say 'I do.'"

* * *

_(A/N): And moments later a high pitched scream echoed through the castle as Vexen shoved a beaker up his advisary's ass. Just kidding; totally not part of the story; but, we couldn't help ourselves._


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

_"I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the Lord sustained me. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people that have set themselves against me round about."_

_--_** Psalm 3: 5-6 KJV**

**----------------------------------------------**

Iliana and Radagast stood with their departing guests in the foggy morning light, just outside the castle gate– around them clean up was still going on. The queen was huddled unabashedly into the side of her Lieutenant General in an effort to remain warm in defiance of the early chill of dawn and the thin material of her white dress. Oleander and Everst were checking the straps and baggage of their saddles while Herumor spoke with Her Majesty.

"Now remember, should you ever need support– military or otherwise– do not hesitate to call on me. Lunthusthra will answer in full." Iliana said regally despite her slight shivering and using Radagast's dark maroon cloak as an additional shaw regardless of the fact that the man was still wearing it; the tall orange haired elf didn't seem to mind his queen's familiarity and was stoically ignoring the humor filled glances of the observers.

"And of course the same courtesy is extended to you and yours." Herumor answered with a deep bow, a smirk playing on his lips in face of this faux-formality.

It was so difficult to act professional around Iliana and he wondered how Radagast seemed to manage it so easily. If he'd not seen her in action himself it would have been hard to take her seriously at all. "I wish you the best of luck and I'm grateful for how fruitful this trip was in the end." And he sincerely meant it. He doubted he would have gained as much from the Tellurics, the elves of the mountains were relativity simplistic and preferred to keep their distance from their neighbors.

"Do send my regards to your family." Iliana instructed cheerfully. "I can only imagine your poor wife, having to steward a thrown and manage three young children."

Herumor chuckled as he mounted his horse, "Neysa has my brother to help her with some things." He replied before bowing his head once more. "I shall write more often now. Until next time Lady Iliana, General Radagast." With that the three Water elves galloped off towards home.

Once they were some yards away and well out of hearing range Oleander spoke to his friend, "I'm sure it's not just me, but, I believe Her Majesty has quite the crush on the good General."

"I'm sure it's not just me, but, I feel sorry for Radagast if that's the case." Everst cut in sarcastically with a shake of his head.

The three shared a hearty laugh and Herumor kept silent on the fact that he clearly saw that their relationship was deeper than the other two knew.

The king decided to change the subject, "We've been gone two days now, I wonder how Eauva is holding out in our absence." He had confidence in his wife, she was as shrewd as he was when it came to politics, but there were safety concerns to consider now.

"Do you think we'll come across any more of those Light monsters on our way back?" Everst asked, now a bit worried considering that it was just going to be the three of them for the next twenty-four or so hours. The morning haze was lifting and the air was beginning to steadily warm. The sight around them was dominantly green pastures and some distant cottages dotting the horizon but the serene landscape didn't fool him.

"We can only hope not; but, judging from the numbers we dealt with yesterday, I can only surmise that we might." Oleander stated matter-of-factly. The tall elf didn't seem too far concerned with the idea outwardly and this caused some disbelief to make it's way across Everst's features.

"That doesn't seem to bother you." The teen pointed out, unsettled by the older man's relaxed disposition.

"That's because of how many were slain. I believe they were amassing themselves for that attack and now that it's over there should be significantly less." Oleander reasoned while rolling up the arms on his light gray, long-sleeved shirt.

"But you said-"

"I believe," Herumor elaborated from over his shoulder, "he's basing his calculation on how the heartless used to behave when there were more of them. There was always a lot but after such an attack there was never an overwhelming amount to match it for a while. We're likely to be dealing with three to four at a time with long intervals between encounters."

"Ah." The conversation died shortly after that and they trotted along in a semi-comfortable silence, each happily occupied by their own thoughts.

* * *

Despite the late hour the streets of the harbor city were bustling with people. "Hm, closing the ports has given us a night life to rival Stehen." Oleander commented as the three wound their way towards the castle. As the citizens became aware of their king's presence a jovial cry rose up and the path was swiftly cleared for him. Knowing he was home gave them hope, hope that things would be able to go back to the way they were.

"Herumor!" A tall red-head was pushing his way through the crowd to greet the returning monarch.

Once Relich had reached his brother he fell in step with his horse and began to rifle off the little things that had happened in the time he'd been absent. Another letter had arrived from Gyo Kostellen, the ports had been fortified as Herumor had asked, some people were coming forward claiming to have killed strange glowing animals, and yes, Neysa and the children were doing fine. "So, did you learn anything from the Lunestris?" He asked after all on the home front had been recounted.

"We learned that our ally, Queen Iliana, is quite possibly insane," Everst quipped with a sardonic smile.

"And that the things in the water are like big anti-heartless made of Light." Oleander supplied, not contradicting the purple haired youth but finding his remark rather amusing.

"And that they can be killed." The tone in Herumor's statement belied his smirk,"How many ships do we have that are specifically designed for battle? Seven, right?" Possibly more than enough, he thought as he urged his mount forward, suddenly eager to consult with his captains.

"Hey," Relich had been holding onto the straps securing the packs to Herumor's horse and had nearly fallen on his face when it lurched ahead without warning. Oleander had ridden up in time to save him from hitting the ground and pulled him onto his own ride behind him.

"Looks like he has a plan." The king's adviser remarked as he heeled his animal to speed up in order to catch the galloping Herumor.

"He usually does." Relich replied without surprise as he fought to right himself comfortably behind the taller elf, pushing the long green windswept strands out of his face and wishing– not for the first time– that Oleander would cut his hair. "Hey, if he beats these things in the oceans you have to help me convince him to go to the human lord, Gyo," Relich said, sputtering unwanted hair out of his mouth and wondering if it'd be more convenient to jump down and just run the distance to the castle.

Oleander raise an eyebrow out of sight of the man,"Why must we do that?" It wasn't that he wouldn't help his young friend but he was curious as to his reasoning.

"Well, for one, the man is almost dead; and for another, in his latest letter he said he had something urgent to speak with Heru about. About a suspicion as to gain us more allies." The red-head had just decided to look down as much as physically allowable to avoid the forest colored tresses.

"Intriguing. We'll have to see how this battle goes first and foremost though." Came the response.

"Naturally."

Herumor was dismounting at the gate and handing over his reins to one of the foot soldiers standing guard when the other three elves caught up to him, "Everst, I'm going to have to ask you to play messenger boy for a moment. Make sure word is sent to every ship captain that there will be a meeting held in one hour in the Red Chamber."

"Yes, my lord." The teen answered crisply before parting company with them and swiftly entering into the lantern-lit night.

The king hadn't slowed down, he was already through the door, "Hey, Oleander? Could I ask you to get things ready for me? Anything we might need, such as maps. I would do it myself but..."

"Family calls," the other answered him knowingly with a smile on his lips,"yes, I'll help you out. There isn't much to do." It was part of his job after all.

Then it was just the siblings alone walking down the halls towards the private section. "Have the boys been behaving?" The auburn haired elf questioned with no small amount of mirth. It was always easy for him to make the transition between duty as a king and that of a father.

Relich laughed, "As much as can be expected from children under the age of fifteen."

Herumor chuckled and ruffled his brother's short hair, "They're not too unlike their uncle in that aspect." There was a fifty-four year age difference between the two– a testament for the long life expectancy of the Stehen elves– and it often led the way for teasing.

"One can only hope they turn out more like me." Relich shot back, opening the door for them to the living suites. He glanced at the standing clock in the den once they reached it and expectantly noted the time, nine forty-five. He wondered how long the meeting would run once it was called and if they would be moving out the next dawn. 'Going to be another sleepless night,' he thought with a sigh but he couldn't bring himself to be disappointed.

Relich was an action person. The sooner something was done about the problem on the seas the sooner it could be found out what Gyo Kostellen had to say, and that meant an advantage in this war. He watched his brother and felt a pride kindle in his chest. He had the up-most confidence that they could win this conflict. Stehen might not have played a role in the last war, but this time they would make a difference, of that he had no doubt.

* * *

Denali blinked against a bright morning sun. If it was not for its position in the sky, she would have sworn it was noon because the heat was so thick. "Lord it's bright..." She complained, working her way to her feet and holding a hand over her brow to shield against the blazing rays.

It took a minute but her eyes finally adjusted to the lighting and she was able to properly observe her surroundings. Not a path was in sight. The foliage was dense with summer's lushness and it wasn't even distinguishable from which way she might have come from. "I need to go North," she reminded herself, putting the question of how she'd come there behind her for the moment.

She turned her body to face the morning sun, what she knew for certain was East, which meant West was behind her. "Nobody," she extended her left hand left, "eats," she pointed in front of her, "sour watermelons." She had said this aloud, recounting a little ditty that her mother had taught her for remembering the directions. As soon as she was certain of her heading she felt a little better.

She clutched at the dark and dirty fabric of her shirt above her heart,"Thanks momma," she whispered. It hurt so much to think that her parents were dead. Her whole family...

"Ne t'inquiétes pas Denali je ne t'ai pas oublié." A frighteningly calm and familiar voice spoke from behind her.

All thoughts left her at the smooth sentence and her legs momentarily locked. _He had found her. "_What? You thought I'd leave you out 'ere to fend for yourself?"

Despite what her mind was screaming at her, her legs moved of their own violation and she turned to face the man. It was just him this time, but he was enough. His tall figure was now imposing where once he had been just a lighthearted country boy. His dark eyes bore into her and his grin bordered on feral. "Alister... jus-just stay away from me, ya hear?"

"Why? I'm da one keepin dem monsters away from you." He told her loftily and laughed when he saw her gasp. "I can make dem leave you alone for good." He extended a dark hand out to her invitingly.

"Like I'm sure they'll leave all those towns people alone for good too, right?" She answered him, taking a step back. She knew which direction she needed to go but she also knew the chances of her being able to outrun him. 'If he really can control those monsters then there's just no way I can make it!' She thought despairingly, taking another cautious step away.

"Heh, no, cher, not like dat. I give you some of my power and you become like me." As he told her this, his still outstretched hand began to radiate a golden light. It was like the air around her grew warmer and sizzled with energy. Only one thought managed to survive the sudden wave of panic overtaking her mind: Run!

"No!" She screamed before pivoting around and bolting through the greenery. Even though she'd only been awake for a few minutes, pure terror pushed her forward with a speed that only desperation could manage. She heard him call for her, but as before she realized there were no footfalls following in pursuit. 'He's taken another route! He's going to cut me off and I'm gonna die! Worse, I'm gonna be one of those creatures!' Her thoughts only drove her faster. There was a lingering hope that she would be able to escape and she clung to it fiercely as she wove between trees and over fallen ones.

"_Do not waste your time going after her."_ That was his instructions, little did the girl know. "_You have other matters to attend to, Alister. The other half, your weaker half, has awoken on the World That Never Was. Seek it out and eliminate it. Nobodies are troublesome flukes that do not have the right to exist no matter how they were created."_

Alister's Nephlim looked at the quivering plants that denoted Denali's flight and shook his head sadly. "I wish you could learn ta wait. Dat would 'ave been an easy catch." The man spoke to what appeared thin air.

"_Then you can catch her later or send one of the lower kind to do it. You have the power to do that, remember?" _The woman spoke directly to his mind, connected by the common bond of Light.

He grinned, "Nah, I wanna take care of dis one personally, Adel.". He preferred one on one interaction when he actually knew the person. "'Nali is a close friend afta all." His arm was still glowing so he waved it in front of him, refocusing the energy to create a portal, "I'll be comin' back." He assured to no one in particular as he stepped through the gate.

Denali bust through the tree line and realized she was still alone. The land before her was open and offered no protection, the main road could be seen a few yards to her right and after some consideration she made her way over to it. There would be no hiding from here till Bramridge anyway, so it was best to just take what was easier on her legs.

Minute after minute and still no sign of danger presented itself. She began to grow suspicious and kept her pace at a jog despite the still quiet. 'Where did he go? How much longer?' It was eerily peaceful. Every so often she would glance over her shoulder only to confirm that she was still alone.

Sweat dripped from her brow profusely and her clothes were damp and sticking to her uncomfortably. As the sun continued to rise so did the temperature and it was slowly draining her. Ten minutes later and she was hardly at a crawl of a walk, slowly trudging forward because stopping would do her no good. Elydria had a very moderate climate and even in summer it rarely rose above eighty degrees. The smoldering heat she was pushing through now was uncannily intense. 'I'm not going to make it. How ironic, it won't be Alister to kill me, but dehydration or heatstroke.'

Reaching up, Denali pulled her thick black hair up off the nape of her neck to let the air reach the skin there in an effort to cool down. She had abandoned her cloak already and was toying with the idea of if she really needed her shirt. That was when something on the horizon caught her attention. Beyond the baked green foothills she could see the tall metallic watchtower that marked her uncle's gummi hanger which lie just out side the city.

"Oh thank you God!" Summoning her last bit of strength she pushed on, relief and anticipation making her muscles throb all the more. "Uncle Elijah!" She called loudly when the building itself came into view. There was no one insight but that didn't deter her. "UNCLE ELIJAH!" Her voice strained with the volume. There was movement up in the tower and she could see a light through the window and her heart soared.

She managed to sprint the last little distance and once she got there she held onto the ladder to catch her breath. 'Hopefully they have something to drink.' She thought cheerfully before forcing herself to ascend the rungs to the walled in platform. Once she got to the top, however, she soon regretted it. Denali stared in horror at three four legged creatures whose fur shimmered like fire and teeth glimmered, uncovered by lip-less mouths. 'No. No. No!' As one their heads snapped to her and she felt her heart sink.

She didn't hesitate, she was speeding back down the ladder, and if it wouldn't have possibly shattered her legs she would have jumped the distance in her eagerness to escape. She heard them clamber for the entrance and she'd only just made it half of the way down before a searing hot pressure landed on her shoulders hard. It knocked loose her grip and she felt herself falling. A shrill scream ripped from her throat and it only redoubled when she hit the ground, her arm snapping painfully beneath her.

"HELP ME!" The creature was scrambling on her back, getting a better position and on either side of her she felt where the other two hit the ground. Her screams had broken off into loud sobs of fear and pain. She didn't hear the clicking of a gun being cocked but the blast was unmistakable and suddenly the weight on her was gone.

"That's _my_ family you're messin' with." Came a gruff and aged voice from her right.

Elijah Wren's thick frame stood protectively six feet away with a shotgun in his thickly calloused hands, already reloaded and aimed expertly at the remaining two; nothing was left of the first but glittering ash in the breeze.

Sensing the danger they ran for it and in quick succession two more shots rang out and two more creatures dusted. "You alright 'Nali?" The middle-aged man asked as he ran over to help her up. "We've been fightin' off those buggers for the past three days now." He huffed as he squatted down beside her. She was still crying, exceeding joy now mingled in with the pain. He lifted her up and it was seen that bone broke through the skin of her left forearm. "Ouch." He commented sympathetically. "Abby! You was right, it's her! We're gonna need you to help fix her up!" He was calling over his shoulder towards the gummi hanger.

"There's a tough girl." He said to her gently, leading her away from the tower with him. He knew she was along, and that left him with questions. He stared at her for a moment as she leaned against him; as much as he didn't want to ask it he had to know, "Where'er Thomas and Ashland?" He was referring to her parents. "Are your brothers with them?" Deep down he knew the answer but he couldn't let it rest unconfirmed.

"Keene was out of town, like me and... I don't know what's become of him. Zachary was with Mom and Dad, he was still too young to travel." Denali said, her voice hallow and worn. The past tense told him all that had become of his brother and sister-in-law.

"Oh honey!" Abigale had joined them at the door, medic kit in hand and dark blue eyes full of worry as she looked upon her injured and disheveled niece.

She wasn't alone in the building. One of the two gummi ships was docked and a dozen haunted faces watched the new comer silently; refugees like herself.

"Abby, she says Keene might still be out there." Elijah said, his voice held a decisive note to it; his blue violet eyes spoke volumes to his wife. The older woman was holding Denali's broken arm gingerly but looked over at the man in hesitant understanding. "I'll wait til' Sofia gets back with _The Chariot _and see you and Denali off safely with the next load before I go." He assured. Sofia was the couple's go-to girl and had been employed as a pilot the very year after the Wrens had gotten their second ship.

"You'll send her off but I'm stayin' put." She led the teen away before the man had time to counter. "In a case like yours dear, anyone is old enough to drink. Eighteen is plenty old to stomach some brandy to take the edge off because this is going to hurt. All the real medicine around here is gone." She told her remorsefully.

Denali nodded, her body on autopilot now. She was numb, adrenaline ebbing away and the world around her surreal. She had made it, beyond all her hope she had made it to her aunt and uncle's and there were survivors! Tiredly she looked around the wide hanger, people were using crates and tables as chairs and in the eyes of the adults there was the shell-shocked expression that mirrored Denali's own. A mother with four young children, two old men, two young ones, and three women who looked to be just a few years older than her. With the slowness of a mind overstimulated Denali digested all of this.

"How many people have come to you?" She asked when her aunt had handed her a glass of strong smelling drink.

"Well," Abigale waited for her to swallow and watched the girl's face cringe at the taste, "They started coming in droves a week ago and there have been fewer and fewer as time's gone on but each one looks worse than the last. Here, put this in your mouth to bite on. I would say, there's been maybe two-hundred total." The older woman had handed Denali a twisted rag after the glass had been emptied. "You want me to fill it for you again before we do this?"

The dark haired girl eyed her arm squeamishly before looking away again and nodding vigorously, the pain having sharpened at the fresh sight of it. She was given a whole three minutes afterwards before Abigale gripped her arm firmly—she had been cleaning it all the while. "I'm sorry honey, but I have to set it now." There was a loud crack and Denali's vision blurred, her jaw hurting from the sheer force she was biting the rag she'd been given. With the worse over it seemed like no time before she was bandaged and set in a splint and sling.

"You'll be in Traverse Town by the end of the day." Abigale told her comfortingly. "You can find you someone there who knows white magic and get it fixed proper." She patted the girl's damp cheek tenderly. "We'll give you munny enough to stay someplace nice and I won't let your uncle be too long before we follow after you alright?"

Denali nodded sleepily. "Can I ha'ff somethin' to eat?" Her head was light but her stomach was reminding her vehemently of it's dissatisfaction.

"That a girl." Her aunt praised. "We'll get you fed then you can take a nap, I'll wake you when Sofia gets back. She left three hours ago so you've got a while yet, hun."

The teen dimly heard her, her mind was on other things: her family, her future, and food. She looked around her again then back at the empty glass still clutched in her right hand. She examined her dirty refracted reflection in the surface and let her gaze unfocus. This day, like the two before, would be taken one hour at a time. She had survived and for this hour that was enough.

* * *

_**Alister's line, spoken in French means, "Do not worry, Denali, I did not forget about you."**_

* * *


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

In Damien's heart, Stehen had been a place of beauty, a place of warm color. He recalled the dark jade of forests, the gray smoke and scents that had lingered in every nook and cranny of the world he was currently missing. Yet even despite that twanging desire to immerse himself once again in the plethora of senses and imagery that his home possessed, he could not extinguish the awe evoked by the scenery on display now below him.

Meadows of the purest emerald stretched for what appeared miles, interrupted only by the narrow and warm brown of dirt roads. He blinked and his slate eyes took in a distant blemish of white and blue and the matching spires of the castle that rose beyond. With each passing moment, the palace grew closer, larger.

"Riku," Damien called to the man who was now busily pressing buttons as he stared out at the expanse of green below as well, "this the world of Disney?"

The pilot paused in his calibrating and nodded. Damien shifted slightly and brought an arm around his slumbering wife's shoulders. He felt at ease as she gave only a light mumble at the disturbance. After a few days of travel—after what seemed like an eternity of uncertainty and immeasurable guilt—they had finally arrived.

'One step closer to the end of this,' the heir to Stehen's throne thought to himself, 'one step closer to retrieving Lyra.'

"Do you think you can navigate your way back here?" Riku had turned to face him and Damien gave him a confident grin at the question, although on the inside he felt more than slightly anxious.

"Between Tjaldin and I, I think we could manage should we ever have to return." His face then sobered. "I hope, however, that won't be necessary at least unless it is for celebration."

"I do too," Riku commented and then returned to working the controls of the ship. He didn't say more on the subject, but he highly doubted this would be the last time Damien and the _Elite _set foot upon the world for less than pleasant reasons. "We're landing now."

Damien nodded and turned his gaze back to Lynn. The stress and anxiety had been hard on her. She had grown nauseous and her temper had flared like never before—her emotions had always been easy to read, but they had grown worse. Pity and more guilt rose in his stomach as he ran a hand through her hair, awaiting the slight jar that would announce the beginning of the ship's descent. He'd wake her then.

The sweet smell of grass surrounded the group and it spread as far as Damien could see. The castle was yet a good twenty minutes away, but as Riku lead them by foot he would not complain the exercise. He was feeling the effects of cabin fever ebb away; after being confined in the ship for a majority of the trip, he was thankful for the open space.

Sunlight warmed his skin, birds twittered (despite the apparent lack of trees), and the mood of the world was completely uplifting. Damien smiled at the temperate climate remembering Stehen Springs. His wife shared his cheerful grin and when he squeezed her hand gently she turned a bright gaze to him. After days of nothing but sorrow in her expression it lightened his heart to see Lynn happy.

"What a beautiful place. I can't wait to meet the monarchs who rule."

Damien nodded, wishing to be visiting under more leisurely circumstances. One tended not want their first visit with an unknown ruler to be on the terms of war and protection. With that one wistful thought, the brightness that had warmed him in spite of the looming situation dimmed. Lynn, nonetheless, would not see him suddenly crestfallen. He would not crush her brief joy.

"Lord Damien, may I speak with you?"

The young captain turned his head to observe his second, Tjaldin, trailing behind. His expression spoke volumes and it not only interested Damien for that purpose, but it offered a respite—so he thought—from his plaguing thoughts. He paused and glanced at his wife who too was staring in interest at the long haired brunette.

The gunman offered her a slight smile, but his gaze quickly returned to Damien. He had spoken formally before, which he did not do habitually, but with thoughts just as plaguing as his leader's unknown ones, he felt it was needed. He stopped walking and waited while Damien turned to his wife and requested a short privacy.

"Might you walk ahead with Riku and Kirsti so we may speak alone, Lynn?" The apprehension in the woman's face grew, but she reeled in her curiosity. She understood and kissed him on the cheek before quickening her pace to catch up with her red-headed friend. She would converse with the woman while her husband and Tjaldin spoke. She wanted to know, but for now she would not pry.

"You've seemed bothered for a while now," Damien took the liberty to begin the discussion. He had noticed his second-in-command being unusually quiet over the extent of their journey. Tjaldin seemed just as haunted as himself. He offered the man a small nod to signal the other to go ahead and speak his mind now.

Tjaldin raised his gaze to Damien; it had been averted. He sighed and cleared his throat. He had been needing to say this for a while. "All of this has to do with these Nephilim creatures, that I know, but I still don't understand all of it. Damien, I'm not just your second for my looks. I hardly know what's going on, but—and I mean no disrespect—Mr. Wakaouji seems very filled in on your end. You and him have had plenty of conversations, and yet the rest of us are left out. We're not just your team, Damien, we're your friends! And hell, we don't know what to think anymore with all the stuff you've been talking about and doing behind our backs."

Damien's eyes fell and shame colored his face. "I'm sorry," he whispered sincerely and Tjaldin knew he meant it because of the turmoil in his commander's eyes and the hesitance he had shown in facing the man. "I never meant for you to feel this way, but-"

"You're not saving us any worry. You've done the complete opposite. Ian, Kirsti, and I are getting very concerned. And, excuse me, I'm more than a little angry with you. Damien, what did we send Lyra to? We put her through hell, and I'm not even sure I could have taken that act. I may have stood back and watched in silence—how I regret that now—but I want answers. I've given you the benefit of the doubt because I knew Lord Gyo would not have allowed it if nothing would come from it, but I'm worried for the girl. I think I speak for the rest of us when I say that. I need these answers, _the_others need these answers, and Lynn deserves to know what you've done. Why Lyra? Why then? Damien, don't think we don't know that she has something to do what's sent us here. What role is she playing and how bad is this situation that we had to send her alone? Don't you trust us enough to tell us?" Tjaldin paused and it was clear how much the subject was bothering him. "Damien, what in Heaven's have you done?"

"I knew as much," Damien nodded and gestured for the sharp shooter to get moving again. Once he had fallen back in step his leader stared ahead of them at the ever closer castle gates. "I trust you all, Tjaldin, with my life. Never think that for one second I have replaced yours and the others trust with the presence of a keybearer. Just wait a little longer; I swear to you that everything you need to know will be explained. Lyra's mission is dangerous and had there been any other way to have sent her off I would have, but time is of the essence. There isn't a moment that passes that I don't regret what we did to her. There's also not a second that I don't pray she is safe and well. In a fews days I have planned for us to be back on Stehen. Serra will be going to retrieve our comrade."

Tjaldin couldn't help the bitter rebuttal, "If there's a girl to retrieve."

"She's got a strong will," Damien turned to him, "but I understand your point. I'm not offended. Will you trust me, though? I will take my responsibility in this act no matter the outcome. Once inside these walls it will be explained."

"I want to trust you, Damien. I've known you far too long to just destroy that."

"Then it's a start and I thank you." Damien nodded to him before speeding up his pace to catch up to Riku. The gates were less than five minutes away. The young prince felt his heart speed in anxiety. This was it; he knew this was to be a momentous meeting. He could feel it in the air like the strident scent of the emerald grass.

The walk seemed to take less time than Damien had predicted. During that lull, however, Riku had barely cast him an acknowledging glance before he too stared straight ahead. The man could predict why. Apparently, he'd been told, this King Mickey would not appreciate their plan and the actions they had already undertaken—hell, he hadn't even liked them and he had been the one to carry them out. He was probably trying to word what he would say in his mind. Damien shuddered to think upon the reactions it would receive, foremost was that of his wife's. He glanced quickly at the woman, thankful that she hadn't seen it. What had he gotten himself into?

He shook his head, and paused just in time for the gates of the castle to open. The resident monarch smiled brightly at them and Riku unhesitatingly walked to him and offered him a warm hand shake that the other swiftly turned into a hug. Damien, however, was wide-eyed. He blinked several times to be completely sure he wasn't dreaming. Oh how he wondered in what way the rest from his world were reacting—Riku didn't seem surprised at all. Why hadn't they been informed of this? He had no more time to think, though, as the stout little king turned his warm gaze to him and his crew.

"Nice to meet you, Riku's told me you come from the world of Stehen. I'm King Mickey. Welcome to Disney Castle."

The monarchs were mice; talking mice.

The mouse king was very friendly and he walked up to Damien and shook his hand. It took the majority of the man's court training, however, not to gape and he managed to return the firm handshake without so much as a blink of his eyes.

"Thank you, your majesty. I'm Damien Kostellen. Your world and castle are very beautiful."

The king smiled and glanced at Riku, whose own grin was more than a little amused.

"Riku didn't inform you that I wasn't a human did he?" The mouse nodded at the flush that erupted on Damien's face. "Thought so, but no need to be embarrassed; it happens all the time. C'mon, let's get inside and we'll begin this meeting. Riku has also informed me that you and him have orchestrated a plan to help us in this war. I must say, I'm very interested to know. Sorry this meeting has to be on such belligerent terms."

The king led the group, all of whom were silent save Riku, through the castle to a spacious throne room. The vacancy of the room was unimaginable. The only pieces of furniture were two thrones. The only bodies in the room were those of three white ducks, each dressed in the attire one would expect on warlocks and what appeared to be a black dog who wore the mail and armor of a knight. The Queen, unmistakable, was also in attendance seated at her throne.

Mickey pointed at the three ducks."These fine boys are Huey, Dewy, and Louie; they are under apprenticeship to become Court Wizards," upon hearing their names each duck bowed their head respectfully. Then the attention was on the dog."This is Max, his father is the captain of my guards and he hopes to follow in his footsteps." He bowed as well.

"Nice to meet you guys."

"Yes, this is the kind of appearance you can expect from all the population here," Riku explained to his bewildered group while Mickey just smiled good-naturedly and made his way towards his throne. Once he had joined her the queen stood up and bowed.

"I'm Queen Minnie. Welcome to the castle."

Before proceedings could continue, there came the click of the door opening and trotting into the room came Sora, Donald, and Goofy. All three looked surprised at the sight of the larger than expected audience. Then the brunette's eyes focused on the slim, silver haired man at the head of the group. "Riku?!" What a pleasant surprise, he hadn't seen his friend in more than a week!

Introductions followed and Riku brought his friend up to speed on a few things. Once everyone was on the same page, Mickey put his hands in his lap, "So, Riku and Damien, what is this plan that you've started on?"

* * *

"What have you done?!"

Damien could only stare at the ground in shame. Riku had barely finished the entire explanation to the room when Lynn pulled away from her husband and stood before him and the ivory-haired keybearer. Her frame was quivering in anger. Damien could feel the hurt radiating from her and could only guess at the accusation and betrayal in her eyes. It was enough to make his stomach sink.

"I can't-how dare you-what-" She shook her head, too angry to speak legibility. Riku and Damien couldn't defend themselves—Damien had no want to try; really what he could say to that? The whole room had gone quiet. The truth was out now to Damien's _Elite_, his friends. King Mickey was silent, his gaze for once giving nothing away. Queen Minnie, however, appeared troubled. Damien closed his eyes, but his heart ached when he heard Lynn's breath become caught in her throat. He longed to comfort her and that part of him won over his shame. He lifted his head back up, met Lynn's eyes, and then felt pain as she slapped him. Tears were shining in her eyes.

"How could you?! My sister! My baby sister!" She begged, her plea and accusation aimed at both of them. "How could you come up with such a-a-stupid plan?!" She slapped Riku as well, and then stomped away, in order to save her self the awkwardness that would follow as the tears came rushing down her cheeks as she began to sob uncontrollably. She brushed him away with a disgusted scoff when Damien attempted to stop her retreat and gather her into his arms.

She jogged from the room, her cries echoing back. For Damien her tears weren't the only reverberations; the sound and sting of her slap played and replayed in his mind. He gingerly touched his cheek, and gazed at Riku. The man held no fury, just resignation.

Sora was fairing little better with the information, agitation could practically be felt rolling off of him in waves. What had even been the point of the last part of the Darkness Wars if they were just going to come back!? _Don't be like that, finish hearing them out._ A voice in his head tried persuading him; it was distant though and did little to quell the frustration battling within him.

"I think," Riku finally spoke, "we deserved that, but if I thought there could have been any other way, trust me, I would have gladly accepted and followed it instead. I am the mastermind here of this plot, the judgment will fall on me." He raised his head to the king of the castle, but his words were directed at all those present. The unrest there was palpable. "I talked Damien into this, your majesty. His father, the ruler of the human settlement on Stehen, heard me out, if not reluctantly. It was the only way I could see it. The date for her to be retrieved, however, is coming. I know they caused us trouble in the past, but your majesty, I believe we viewed the world too misjudgingly. They were a danger and their methods were unjust, but who is to say that had we reasoned with them, they would have tuned us out? We never tried, and they could be valuable in this war."

"Ha," a voice mocked, interrupting Mickey as he opened his mouth to speak.

All heads shot up and turned around aimlessly. The voice, distinctly feminine and unfamiliar was bouncing from every direction. Suddenly, right in front of the King and Queen a portal much like the darkness created appeared.

Even so, this was nothing like the darkness portal in everything save shape. It was a dark yellow intermixed with pinks of all shades. It pulsed much like its counterpart, yes, counterpart because there was no mistaking this portal.

Light.

"You think a bunch of miscreants that were defeated so effortlessly six years ago are actually going to give you a boost? That's so pitiful I actually feel a little sorry for your poor misguided souls, despite your obvious rebellion."

The speaker stepped from the portal, saying this with an air of superiority as she came. Her pink lips were set in a bemused smirk, that was enhanced by her cold, frost-blue eyes that seemed to glow amidst flushed cheeks and in complament to her choppy, violet locks. Her step was confident and she merely raised a hand dismissively, calling back the portal which disappeared as if it had never existed.

"Who are you?" Mickey asked stalwartly. This was his home, and she was an intruder. Before him, the apprentice wizards and knight-in-training maneuvered into defense positions; their predecessors doing the same from beside Sora.

Damien, his group, and the keybearers tensed in position as well, prepared to either attack or defend.

The woman chuckled and shook her head, "I am not here to fight you myself. I merely came to see the fools that dare oppose my army in person."

"Your army? Those creatures from the Light?" Riku challenged.

"Yes, you are calling them the Nephilim, right? Such a beautiful name in my opinion. I am Adel, your master orchestrator." She bowed slightly and the longer pieces of her short hair swayed in the action. "Unlike those before me I decided that, being your adversary, I would introduce myself early on in this little game. Waiting for you to discover me through missions didn't suit my fancy. Yes, I am the leader of this army and I'm proud to come out into the light unlike your previous foes Xehanort and then his other, Xemnas. Its a shame that you've decided to turn to him by the way."

"How can you act so justified?" Damien took a step forward. "Those Nephlim are murdering senselessly! They seem to be more ravenous then their heartless brethren!"

Adel raised a brow and scowled, "Then that proves just how tainted this universe is! They feed upon darkness, set out to destroy it and only those that are immersed and strong in its essence can control them. I am not here to speak specifics to you, though. I came to cast my judgment. However, you may yet be saved; this castle is the epitome of light, even without the Cornerstone to enhance it."

Her mouth pulled into a smirk once again and she turned her attention to Mickey and Minnie, "Your majesty, King Mickey, I never would have believed that you, the King of one of the brightest kingdoms would ever turn your back on the Light. You who once fought against the Darkness so strongly. And my Lady," she nodded her head to Minnie, "how can you allow him to make such a decision? Don't you understand that now is the time to finally rid the world of Darkness once and for all? Its reign has lasted far too long and the remnants are weak. He is tainted! And this keyblade wielder is the one who shall bring chaos if his plan is realized. Is Xehanort still speaking to you, boy? Have you no concern for you wife and daughter? The Darkness has corroded you, and you deceive these people. Light is only purging the world, what is a few deaths in the stead of destruction?

"And you, Keyblade Master," She turned her attention to Sora, happy that he'd made it in time for her arrival, "should know the nobility of this more than your "friends". Sadly, I can sense darkness even in you though; that Princess of Heart, Kairi, is also tainted. You should have left those Nobodies out of your hearts. It's such a sad waste."

"My family," Riku growled, "how do you know about them?" Sora also had gritted his teeth at the implied threat to his love and had gripped his summoned weapon harder.

This was something you did not do, Riku knew: threaten his family. He would not take to that. Adel, however, merely shrugged, turning her back to him. She was not unnerved in the least. "What kind of opponent would I be if I did not know my opposition? Worry not, they are in no danger, yet. I came here to complete another transaction of business."

She wordlessly crossed the room to the window and glanced into the sun, her fingers tracing the clear glass. She sighed and crossed her arms, back still to the rest of the people, "So, King Mickey," she inclined her head, "are you going to insist on continuing association with these traitors or will you do what's best for your people?" She went silent before turning to them, "Because if my eyesight is correct, they seem unfit to save themselves." She gestured to the window.

The closest person to it, Kirsti, rushed to the glass and peered out– heedless of her proximity to the enemy. Her eyes widened. Adel chuckled and opened a portal. "Aren't my Nephilim beautiful? I do hope you can help those poor souls soon, I'm not sure how long they can last." She bowed and stepped back into the portal. "Farewell, traitors."

It closed, and all the people rushed from the room. Damien glanced at King Mickey then to his youngest teammate, "Ian! Go and find Lynn." He instructed as they bolted through the hall, following behind those who knew the building well. "Check the entrance we came from first." The blonde nodded to his commander and turned down the correct passage as they came to it.

He would have rather gone himself but his mind was on prevention, he needed to be with his soldiers to keep the monsters from even making it to the castle.

* * *

"Did it go well?" Magenta eyes- shielded by clear lenses- pulled themselves away from the scene of orange speckles and blazing fire.

Their owner watched as Adel stepped from her portal and came to her side. She stared into the destruction that was occurring someways just beyond the ridge.

"It went excellent! And your timing, as usual, was perfect, Nadia."

Nadia was silent a moment while the wind brought the strong smell of fire and ruffled her wavy pale sapphire hair. She crossed her arms, "How bad is this to become?"

"You mean you've not already mapped out every possible outcome this could have?"

She craned her head to stare at Adel, whose white dress shone in the sun along with the weaved, golden belt and sandals she wore. "I have. I would rather, however, not have another incident like that other world happening. Elydria was only suppose to be a scare tactic, not the massacre it has become."

"I am the one who decides what happens, not the other way around. You wanted to test your strategic ability, I wanted a strategist. If it bothers you so much, then why not change it yourself?" In her voice was a mocking challenge.

"You're the leader, Adel. But I was under the impression my battle plans would be followed, verbatim."

"Ah," the older woman smirked, "and they were, with just a relish of improvisation. After the Nephilim get excited, there's no stopping them."

"As you say," she nodded without a bit of belief. She turned back to stare at the far ground zero. "Nephilim? So is that going to be the official name for them?"

"Seems so."

"What an ironic name."

Adel sniffed at her toneless comment. "You don't have to watch, you know, if it makes you uncomfortable. If you want, you can go back to Olympus now instead of later."

Nadia sat down and shook her head. "I've never seen a Nephilim attack. I suppose I best conquer that fear now. How do you manage to keep them pacified?"

Adel smirked, "That's a secret, but someday maybe you'll know." She sat down beside the girl and closed her eyes against the sun that seemed to flicker brighter. On her neck, showing in gold was the outline of a heart; within it two white vines intertwined and sprouted outward, coming to give the heart an appearance of wings. In the sunlight it seemed to glimmer for a moment before fading when she opened her eyes again.


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

How long had Relich been gone now? No more than a few days, but Herumor was staring in abject concern out of the bay window of his study; a place he found himself drawn to when taking a break between work. It overlooked the harbor, the very one upon which he had seen his youngest and only brother off. Relich was a captain, though, and if there was one person who understood the duty of leading his men, it was Herumor. He couldn't fault his brother for his matching determination, instead he felt proud, if not slightly anxious—it was his family out there, after all.

He sighed, eyes falling from the view. He turned and his gaze found the clock that ticked softly to his left—its pendulum swaying hypnotically. Relich had officially left three days ago, in the twilight of dawn, and there was no deterring him. Herumor only prayed for his safety and the extermination of the monster that had already deprived his land of some of its men. He brought a hand to his forehead and closed his eyes slightly. A knock on the door, however, finally drew his attention from his thoughts.

"Enter," he bade, taking his seat at his desk once again.

Everst, the violet-haired youth entered respectfully. He bowed his head in reverence before straightening once again.

"Lord Herumor, good afternoon. Do you require any assistance today?"

"You've completed your daily duties?"

"Of course, sir."

Herumor nodded absently and craned his head over his work. He had not even begun to ponder a task for the boy when something fell against the desk. The elder elf furrowed his brows and stared down at the offending pendant, the very one Iliana had given him. He frowned and slowly pulled it off.

"Everst, would hold on to this for me a period of time? You can put away in a safe place or carry it on your person, but I cannot work with it and Cyrus has gotten to the stage where he takes things, especially nice things. I would think it's safer with you." He held the necklace out to the younger elf.

Everst took it and nodded, "I'll keep it safe, my Lord." He waited a pause longer but when it seemed clear that his king had nothing else for him to do, he politely dismissed himself and left Herumor to his thoughts; it was clear to him that the other man was greatly distracted. As he closed the door behind him he decided to go search out Oleander and find if the adviser had anything for him to occupy his idleness with. He passed the queen in the hall and bowed to her politely and warned her of her husband's lethargic mood.

Neysa nodded her thanks with a small smile and waved the boy on. It looked like she was going to have her hands full. "Herumor, you're going to draw blood if you keep biting your lip like that," she warned as she entered the room and found him behind his desk starring off into a nonspecific middle-distance. The woman's wavy, light pink hair fell over his shoulders as she walked behind him and hugged his neck comfortingly.

The man leaned into her and bent his head back to kiss her jaw line. "I know, I know." He sighed, "It was my plan after all..."

"And Relich is one of the best seamen you have, I don't think it's his royalty that cause the sailors to complement him so." She reassured him, beginning to rub circles into his tight shoulders, looking over his disheveled desk as she did so. Herumor was naturally immaculate, to see his work area so cluttered was to see his stress; the last month and a half had been hard on him.

Something among the motley parchment caught her attention, a familiar chicken-scratch handwriting and the well known blue, wax seal of the crown with double arrows through it's circle told her it's origin. "Gyo is still writing us?" She asked, forgetting her previous action and reaching across Herumor for the letter from the human king. She sighed as she read it. "You know, if you can't go in person you should really send someone to answer him in your stead. I realize things have been trying for you but this is the third one in two weeks! Have you at least written him back?"

"I have. I had planed to set out tomorrow for a visit, but now I'm waiting on Relich. Gyo knows I intend to come, though." He looked up at his wife as her honey colored eyes scanned the paper. "Do you intend to take Relich with you when you go? He says here he's also wanting to talk to you about Lyra," Neysa voiced as she read over it.

Herumor nodded, "Yes, I believe he'd want to go. He still thinks fondly of the young woman." He sighed, "I hope she's alright, but is it terrible that I don't care as much about that right now?" He asked somewhat guiltily. His brother meant more to him in the long run and until he was put to ease about how his navy was fairing he couldn't quite bring his mind to worry about anything else.

His wife leaned down and kissed his temple, "You're going to make yourself sick with worry." She looked back at his desk again, "Are you actually working on anything at the moment?" Herumor shook his head before cradling it in his hands with his elbows propped on the edge of the desk. "Well, then come visit with your sons. I have a feeling free time for you is going to become even more scarce in the future than it has been already. Let's go and enjoy it while we can," she prodded, tugging his light orange sleeve imploringly.

The auburn-haired elf stood willingly and allowed himself to be led out, lacing his coarse fingers with her delicate ones.

* * *

It was another whole day's wait before finally the long looked for white sails crested the sunset kissed horizon. There were only five ships left of the seven that departed. Trumpets sounded throughout the city and all that could make it flooded to the harbor. Those aboard the returning vessels cheered out in victorious greeting to the answering celebration on shore.

Much to Herumor's relief, Relich was on one of the remaining. The red-head was behind the wheel of one of the foremost ships, hair a mess and shirt missing, revealing his black tattoo of a shark across his right shoulder. The young elf no longer resembled a prince but an untamed sailor; his more naturally fitting persona, he felt.

The king embraced his brother tightly the moment he stepped aboard the pier and a general cry of enthusiasm rose from everyone and then the rest of the reunions commenced. "Uncle Re-re!" Neysa stood behind her husband with Cyrus, their youngest of four, balanced on her hip. Kirian and Tohan stood on either side of their mother, ready to have their chance to congratulate their uncle.

"You would not believethe ferocity of those battles. We killed twelve in all!" Relich reported proudly as he moved out of the way of the gang-board to allow the rest of his crew to come ashore. "Though we lost two ships, men wise, we only lost sixteen; rest their souls." He went on to tell how most of the men from the two ships that were destroyed either were able to be pulled from the water in time or had escaped into the life boats. He told how the deformed fish, sea-dragons of Light had not been all together but took hunting down, and how they had seemed to melt away into the water after they'd died.

Herumor nodded periodically during this retelling, interrupting only once to clarify that he wanted a list of the names of the people who'd died, then once his brother was finished, he walked onto the ship closest to him. The elven king hoisted himself up on the wooden railing—his hand tangled in the mast's netting for balance—so that he could address his people as a whole, "Today we know but one grand victory!" His voice was deep and commanding, causing a general hush and all eyes turned to him. "There are many battles yet to be fought in this war and therein is a point I need bring up. Our ports and harbors have been temporarily made safe, but a call for a large standing army and navy is now at hand. Our mariners must not be expected to shoulder this kingdom alone, any who are able I bid you sign for a draft. Stehen has been called on by other Worlds to stand at the ready and to be able to send assistance if needed. We must now be prepared to not only defend our own lands, but to help others who can no longer defend theirs!

"I have made a formal alliance with Lunthusthra and tomorrow I intend to leave for the human kingdom of Stehen as well; Eauva will not be standing alone but I intend for her to be standing tall!" A cry of joyous agreement sounded from the crowed and with that Herumor stepped down and rejoined his family.

Oleander had navigated his way through the noisy bodies to be with his friends, almost as happy as the king himself was that the young Relich had made it back safely. "So, we're leaving tomorrow, huh?" He asked Herumor, taking the time to ruffle the damp and messy hair of the victorious sailor prince. Relich scoffed and pushed him off, before reaching over and taking the auburn-haired toddler from his sister-in-law and holding him to his hip with the arm that was inked.

"Well, you do not have to come if you do not want to." Herumor answered the green-haired elf teasingly. He and Oleander had been traveling together since their youth—how they had remained friends this long neither of them knew. "Relich might want to come with me though." Herumor's voice took on a more serious tone and he saw he had his brother's full attention, despite how eight-year-old Kirian was trying to climb up his back. "Gyo spoke of Lyra in his last letter to us, and the way it was written implied that it had little to do with good news."

"Is she alright?" Relich asked, reaching around and grabbing his maroon-headed nephew to help him steady his grip. The elf considered Lyra one of his best friends and didn't know what he would do if something had happened to her.

"That's one of the things we'll find out when we get there. Gyo didn't mention specifics about anything." Herumor admitted. 'And possibly that was a tactic all it's own. Gyo is sickly, not stupid, if he really wants to meet with me I'm sure he's trying all he knows to make it happen.'

"Then, we had best head back to the castle now." Oleander suggested, looking out towards the shimmering ocean that now blazed pink and orange in the twilight. "There are a few things left to be done before another trip is planned." Relich sighed, handing his youngest nephew back to Neysa. He had just gotten home, but, worry for Lyra seemed to drive the weariness from his limbs. The morning would come in its own time and he would be ready for it.

* * *

"Is this honestly necessary for your tests?"

Lumarai's tenor clearly denoted the exasperation on his face. He was tethered to a table observing as Vexen flipped through some charts, a mug of coffee in his hands.

"Vexen, Lyra and Saix aren't tied to a table. I demand you release me."

Lumarai could see that Lyra was worriedly looking at him, but Saix's face remained as stony and emotionless as ever, giving nothing away, but perhaps his lips were quirking slightly.

"Lumarai, you have just regained your heart, as a scientist I must take precautions. We don't know how unstable you are. I don't to run any risk of you hurting yourself or others."

Lumarai growled; Vexen had said the statement nonchalantly as he continued reading through his notes. All that had transgressed were meager physical examinations.

Lumarai was there as the newly whole individual, Lyra as one who had never lost her heart, and Saix the control. The Roman clenched his fists as his side; nothing required him to be restrained, even the rudimentary scientists of his day would not have done this. Vexen was just paying him back for his aggravating earlier, and of course the man knew it.

"Vexen, you flippant old man, let me go. There is nothing in your tests that have required me to be bound."

Instead of sneering as the man often did with the younger, he sighed and placed his notes on the lab table he was standing beside. He walked over to Lumarai and began to remove his restraints.

"I can't run the required tests with this equipment. The bulk of my specialized machines are in Castle Oblivion. Saix, remind me to speak with Xemnas about retrieving them. The sooner the better."

Lumarai glared at the man as he sat up and slid off the table, "I will agree to further experiments on the stipulation you never do that again."

Vexen nodded, "Of course, of course. I would hope then, that you have learned to watch your mouth now."

The raven-haired man said nothing pertaining to the subject. So he had set out to irritate the other man earlier—old habits died hard. He sighed and dusted himself off. "If you want to return to Castle Oblivion, I believe it would be best for me to come with you. The castle has been uninhabited for years, but my security traps are still in place. Also, with the amount of equipment you are wanting to retrieve a group effort would be simpler."

"Couldn't you just teleport there?"

Vexen grinned ruefully at Lyra's question. He turned to the young woman. "We could, yes. Unfortunately, Marluxia is right, he has security traps, and a rash teleportation would be very ill-advised. It would be best to enter the castle directly from the entrance. My lab is on a lower floor and if all goes well, it will be simple. If Xemnas approves of this expedition I will also have to ask Zexion and Lexaeus if there is anything they would like to go back and get. We'll be going by Gummi."

"You should ask Xemnas as soon as possible." Saix said, thinking again about the superior's ability to drag things out unnecessarily.

Vexen nodded,"I'll do it now, actually. You all may return to whatever it was you were doing."

"Thank goodness," Lumarai sighed and promptly left the laboratory.

He wasn't sure where he was going, but his feet led him to the floor where Larxene's quarters were. He knew he hadn't seen her in a few days. He had avoided her, in fact, to allow her to deal with the situation that he had found his heart. He was missing her, however, his new heart assuring him that nothing had stopped him from loving the woman. Marluxia had loved Larxene without a heart, and Lumarai felt the same, the emotion now strengthened.

He stepped undeterred to her closed door and knocked slowly. He smirked at the sharp voice that answered.

"Who is it?"

"Tu Amour," he replied smoothly.

"Piss off!"

He chuckled, but was stopped before he could say anything else by Axel leaving his bedroom.

"I'd just leave her alone, Lumarai," he stated in exasperation as he passed the man on his way down the hall.

"Eh, Et tu, Axele?" He saw the red-head roll his eyes at his quip.

"Cut it out with the foreign language, dammit!" Larxene raised her voice.

"I remember when you used to like to hear it," he teased, but when he got nothing he sighed softly. "You know, you're going to have to face me sometime, Larxene. I believe it would be both of our best interests to settle this sooner rather than later."

He waited a moment, but no further sound came from the room. He crossed his arms, "Larxene," he sang but soon frowned at the continued hush, "okay, Relena, I know you're in there, I would have heard you portal away if you had."

More silence.

"Avoiding me is rather childish." Yet, still nothing, _much_ to his growing irritation. He was slowly losing his good mood, in fact it was almost gone.

"You're being rude."

"Oh," finally her voice replaced the silence, "_**I'm**_ being rude? I believe I've clearly asked you to leave, and you're still here."

That was it. Suddenly, years of frustration coiled up inside of him, taking hold of this conversation. How long had he tried for this girl? How many times had she shunned him or blatantly disregarded his obvious affection? With the new addition of his heart these emotions, now so real, were impossible to dismiss. An irritated groan left him, along with his practiced censorship.

"Fine! I give up! And I don't mean just for now, I mean completely. I'm done, and this isn't some sudden conclusion I've come to, I've been thinking about it for a while. Two years, and yet you still mistrust my feelings. I love you, Relena, heart or not, but if that sentiment is too much for you, then I'm tired of waiting. I deserve my happiness too, and I'm tired of waiting on you. So you just stay in your room, afraid of the future. I'm disappointed in you. You of all people should know a good thing when you see it."

He turned around. "Good bye, Relena, I'll not trouble you anymore. I see how useless this all is now."

The hardest thing he had to do was take that first step. Within, his newly returned heart was breaking, but his expression was stony. He didn't even regard Lexaeus when the man opened his door to watch the passing man. Lumarai didn't slow when he heard another door open.

"You said you'd never turn your back on me, Lumarai."

Larxene's soft voice did cause him to pause, but he did not turn around. He stared ahead, "I also said I'd do whatever you wanted. You have been selfish, and I have waited patiently. Now I believe I have the right to be selfish myself. I won't frivolously pursue a worthless cause. I gave you everything I had for years, and I've not been given anything in return. You wanted me to leave, Relena, well I'm gone."

He heard her fist hit the wall, but he clenched his jaw. He would not look at her. He started walking again and it took all he had not to stop at her gut-wrenching sobs.

"LU-LUMARAI!"

It echoed down the hall and struck him right in the chest. It hurt, but she had hurt him enough, and now he was hurting her. He felt horrible about it, even if he felt that he had a right, that she had brought it upon herself.

Even so, he would give her one more chance. He stopped once again.

"If you're willing to put your whole being into this, if you want me, you know where to find me. I've made my moves, Relena. It's time for yours."

And then he left, never looking back, too angry and too afraid of what he would do were he to turn around and glance at her one more time.

Lexaeus stood for a moment in his doorway and watched as the woman sunk to her knees, gritting her teeth. Though they hadn't been on what he would ever consider "good terms" in the past, he couldn't help but to walk over to the woman.

"Given his speech from the other day and what we've all known for a while now about how you two feel about each other...if I may, I would suggest you follow through. Strange as some might view it, your relationship with that man is something…special. Lumarai has a point you know, it's only fair that you should meet him the rest of the way," the russet-haried man advised in a level but soft voice, not taking a knee beside her but choosing to remain standing.

Larxene sniffed and punched the floor beside her, "What would you know?" Even if she was going for intimidating it didn't make it out as such and her hunched position only added to her vulnerability.

"I would know quite a bit, believe it or not. What I don't know is why you feel you have to hold yourself to a constant image of stone. I also don't know why you insist on clinging so vehemently to the failures of your past and the standards you were forced to hold yourself to back then, and why all of that is the excuse you choose to use for your reluctance to legitimize a relationship with a man who not only has feelings for you but for whom you also have feelings for." He crossed his arms but his face still held a look of sympathy. He had heard many a loud conversation from Larxene's room in the past and had had in mind to tell her something similar to what he was doing right now for a while. "If your pride had any part in your hesitance as well, be sure and take a good look at where you are right now…"

Those words, minutes later, had brought her to Lumarai's room. His door was closed and she tentatively pushed it open, afraid to meet his gaze upon her entrance. What she found, however, was both relieving and disheartening.

His room was empty of any person, only his furniture offered her any company. She glanced around uncertainly and sighed, feeling the rawness in her heart become filled with utter emptiness. She made her way to his bed and took a heavy seat. So much had happened to her, and in such little time. She replayed it all in her mind.

He had sounded in high spirits when he first knocked on her door, but she had been afraid. She knew why he had been there, and she was nervous still, afraid to admit to herself that he truly loved her, and then have to come to terms that she felt the same way.

Larxene did return his feelings. She did, and it was strong, so possessing it frightened her. What more could a woman want in a man? Lumarai had been just the right mixture of brute and romantic that she had always dreamed of. Yet nothing had ever worked out for her, and he had understood, but even she couldn't deny the act was getting old, but it had been a habit. One she was sorry for.

And then his voice became irritated, but she could take that; with them, he often did get a little frustrated at her (she couldn't blame him). What she couldn't take was when he told her he had given up and verbally reprimanded her for her stupid pride, fright, and uncertainty; those had been things she had known, but to hear him reassure them in such irate clarity... She had let him finish before she slowly made her way to her door.

He had been walking away. The sight of his turned back and retreating figure had rended her chest open. A clutching, suffocating force began to embrace her and so her next words to him had been soft. But he had merely replied and kept walking. He didn't even glance at her!

The force then latched onto her whole chest. She couldn't breath. It was agony, such a overwhelming weight she fell to her knees. She couldn't stop them, then. She began to cry, all the pain, old and new embracing her. And she cried out to him. Her voice pleading him to regard her again. She felt broken, ashamed, stupid, and crushed. Absolutely crushed.

Yet he had still never turned to her, only offered for her to fix it.

In that moment she knew her only option, and damn it if she didn't want to just curl up on the floor and die. She had ruined it! What if he didn't forgive her?! The pain in her chest grew until she knew it was too real to be the fragmented creations she had lived with as Nobody. She was in pure anguish, pure untainted pain. That made her cry harder, choking, until Lexaeus had spoken to her.

Did that mean she had her heart back? She mulled over the irony of that, a bitter hateful feeling, until she heard soft steps. She panicked.

If that was Lumarai, what could she say? She hadn't thought about it! She swore to herself as the person bypassed room after room. She pictured the distance between the doors and knew that there was only a few steps left before the person would be in front of this room; Lumarai's was the last door on this dead-end hallway. She creeped beside the door and closed her eyes, back pressed against the wall. What would she do?

She clenched them as the knob turned and the door began to open. She stopped breathing for a moment as the person shuffled into the room. It was Lumarai alright. She stared at his back and took a quiet breath, then let herself follow instinct.

She had been named the savage nymph for a reason; she stepped behind him with silent, quick movements, as he began to unbutton his crimson shirt. She reached around him and pressed her front into his back, her head nuzzling his spine as she fought the return of her tears.

"Permissum mini otium vestri poena," she whispered, the very words he had spoken her the night this relationship had unbiddingly begun. She had learned from Zexion shortly afterward that they meant 'Let me ease your pain.' She had secretly held them close to her heart since.

She smiled in relief, tears filling her eyes when his warm hands came to rest atops hers. She closed her eyes for one blissful moment before removing her right hand from his grip and moving to stand before him.

She heard his gasp and that brought her shy, sullen gaze from the floor to stare into his emerald eyes. They widened a fraction in surprise before he smiled and his eyebrow cocked playfully. "You have beautiful eyes, and I must say your even more radiant with red hair, Relena."

Those words struck her odd, but soon she was pulling strands of her hair before her, glancing at the crimson locks in her fingers. She had red hair?! That meant, all the pain had been real, she had her heart back; she was Relena again! She choked in happiness and stared up at Lumarai in joy. She didn't think about what she did next. She just jumped.

Her legs circled his waist and her arms were thrown around his neck. She ignored his gasp of surprise and smiled before kissing him quickly in her enthusiasm. She pulled away and only then did it hit her what she'd just done. She smiled uncertainly, but the look in Lumarai's eyes took all that was left of her fear away. His hands rested on her back and one moved up to delve into her hair. She brought her lips back to his at his silent urging and they met each other for a slower, more passionate kiss, one that they had both been waiting to have again for a long time. Mouths opened to one another they and held each other tightly.

Relena pulled away and for the first time laughed in zeal, not sarcasm or sadism. She leaned her forehead against Lumarai's, "I love you," she promised and then with her heart fluttering loudly tilted her head and nuzzled his ear with her nose and lips. He sighed, "I love you too, you know that," and spurred on she kissed his neck. He stiffened only to groan in pleasure when she nipped at the sensitive skin.

"Don't tease me, Relena," he whispered gruffly.

She sealed her fate when she laughed and whispered coyly, "I'm not."

* * *

Vexen rushed down the hallway; normally, he would have tried to avoid speaking to Lumarai unless it was truly necessary, but the blonde thought the man deserved to know they would soon be making a trip back to his once citadel, Castle Oblivion. They would need to begin making the arrangements soon.

"Lumarai," Vexen spoke as he stood outside the man's door.

He cocked an eyebrow at what he heard; was that giggling, a female's giggle? Then there was shuffling.

"Quit it," came a feminine whisper.

Vexen opened the door and had to dodge a pillow as it flew and hit the wall by the door. He stared at the scene. A bare-chested Lumarai was holding a petite red-head to his chest, her naked back revealed. There was no question as to what had transpired there before his entrance. He opened his mouth but found himself mute a moment until the woman fixed him with an indigo glare.

"Larxene?!"

"Relena, now." Came Lumarai's soft voice as he stared down in adoration at the female.

She had her heart back too?! That thought was quick, because then the scientist was reminded of their state of undress. He groaned and turned away, "This scene is burnt into my retina now!"

"Oh, come now, Vexen, you can't see anything." The Roman teased.

"Perhaps, but I know what you two have done, and that, trust me is enough."

Lumarai chuckled, "You sure you're not just envious? Would you like to join?"

Vexen whipped around, "You are disgusting, Lumarai! You are nothing but a lustful barbarian!" And he slammed the door and siftly made his way down the hallway, wanting to get away from _that_ as quickly as possible.

"I wish I still had my pillow to smother you with!" Relena screeched and then there was a resounding smack, but Vexen only heard Lumarai chuckle as he finally made it out of the hall, to his great relief.

**_(A/N): We are so very, very sorry for the longer than usual wait for this chapter! Dawn has been busy with college, and I went on a week and a half long road trip. That all combined to slow this up terribly. On another note, the alignment for the Chapter 23 up there kept giving us trouble so if it's uploaded to the side... eh, sorry. And, now, for something completely different! As stated on our profile now, there is a playlist for this story up and building on Playlist .com, the link to which is on our page as well as the information about a Key to follow along with. If you're bored or looking for tunes, you can go check it out._**

**_Coming soon! A Christmas one-shot with this frazzled cast. Hopefully it will be here in time for the holidays. _**


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